Man of My Dreams
by KaydenceRei
Summary: Women are being murdered in their sleep and Olivia's torn between Elliot and a suave and handsome informant of Fin's. Even a psychopath is after Olivia's heart, but who will get it? And who is this psychopath after Olivia now? Is it someone she knows?
1. The Lustful Informant

**Disclaimer**: I own the walking hot-spot Dante and people you don't recognize. Other then that, it seems to be all SVU so far. I don't own that. Yet.

**A/N**: Dedication goes to Color Esperanza and Freestyler9125. Essy is amazing, she'll always keep me going. Freestyler reads my chapters as I'm writing them and gives me the inspiration to keep writing and writing! Thanks you two.

**Chapter 1**:

"Tell me again why the hell I'm bringing you with me to meet my informant?" Fin asked Olivia as they sat in the black squad car outside of a pizzeria.

Olivia let a small smile curl on the edges on her mouth. "Because the captain wants to know if this informant is credible and you aren't giving us much to go on," she replied.

Fin rolled his eyes. "Just don't say anything, he doesn't really enjoy extra company, and I'm lucky I got this hardass to help me in the first place."

"Lighten up Fin, I'm not here to cramp your style, just check on your informant," Olivia stated with a shrug. "Now are we getting out of the car or staying in here forever?"

Fin shook his head and opened the door to the squad car, stepping out. He was clad in black pants, a white t-shirt and a black jacket.

Olivia opened her door and stepped out as well, she wasn't wearing too much of a different outfit then fin. Black jeans and a black tank top. She followed Fin into the pizzeria where he took a seat across from a guy who had his back against the wall and a hat covering his face.

"Right, this is Antonio Valentino, better known as Dante," Fin stated to Olivia as she took a seat beside him. "Dante, this is Olivia Benson."

Dante looked up, tipping the hat up so his face could be seen now. He had a tan complexion, dark brown almost black hair tied back into a short ponytail beneath the hat. His green eyes stared at Olivia in confusion before a small smile tugged at his lips.

Olivia let one eyebrow rise up in confusion. "Why Dante?" she questioned.

"Because names ending in the 'o' annoy me," Dante stated simply. His Italian accent wasn't thick, but it was audible, and it made him all the more appealing.

Olivia felt the edges of her lips curling into a smile at Dante's joke.

Dante grinned and Olivia swore her heart had dropped about ten stories. This guy looked good.

"All right, I can see you two don't mind each other," Fin said with a designated eye roll. "What have you got for me Dante?"

Dante's grin disappeared and the serious face returned within a moment. His face was showing look of distrust with Olivia sitting in on the conversation.

Fin gave Olivia his characteristic, 'Can we talk alone?' face.

"Right, I'll wait outside then," Olivia stated before standing up and walking out of the pizzeria. Clearly she was cramping Fin's style even without doing anything. She managed not to take a second glance back at the Antonio Valentino aka Dante.

Dante turned his attention back to Fin. "Why did you bring this Olivia girl around anyway?"

Fin sighed. "My captain wants to see if you're a credible informant, and Olivia's not a problem, I've never met someone more loyal to her friends," he stated.

"She's different," Dante stated, his eyes casting a side-long glance over at Olivia outside of the glass window, leaning against the black car.

Fin shook his head slightly. "Don't be getting any funny ideas Dante, now what do you have for me?" he questioned.

Dante's expression was grim. "Not much Fin," he replied, keeping his back straight up against the wall. "This guy you're looking for is on a whole new playing field, I'm still working on finding out how this guy is killing, let alone trying to find out who it is doing it."

Fin nodded this time. "I was afraid of that, this guy's good then?"

"I'll figure him out."

"I know," Fin replied. "You always do."

Dante and Fin nodded to each other as a sort of 'good-bye'. Each man stood up and made their way to the door, Fin getting into the driver's seat of the squad car.

Olivia cast a glance to Dante who stopped beside her, her facial expression didn't really change as she looked at him, but that was taking a lot of effort on her part. This guy Dante was one good-looking guy, but she could see exactly what he was going to be like. Not exactly on the side of the law, but not entirely a bad person.

Another smile tugged at the corners of Dante's lips as he caught Olivia's gaze on him. He pulled the helmet off a motorcycle parked just in front of the squad car and gave Olivia a small wink before getting onto the bike and taking off.

"Subtle," Olivia remarked as she took a seat in the passenger's seat of the squad car. "Who the hell is that guy?"

Fin finally let out a laugh in response. "Dante's always like that around women, he's pretty good at charming his way into their pants so watch yourself if you ever run into him."

"That's not exactly what I asked, but thanks for the warning." Olivia smiled. "Now answer the actual question."

Fin rolled his eyes this time. "Goes by Dante, he doesn't exactly play by the rules, but he gets results unlike regular informants."

"You mean he doesn't do it all the legal way, don't you?"

Fin just shrugged. He knew better then to answer that.

"Right," Olivia said. "Why did I ever think such a thing?"

&&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia was seated at her desk which was conjoined across from Elliot Stabler's desk. She was writing down a few notes when she noticed a fresh cup of coffee come into her line of view. She looked up and a small smile tugged at her lips as she saw Elliot.

"So how did that meeting go with Fin's mystery informant?" Elliot asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

Olivia took a sip of the coffee Elliot had placed in front of her. "Mysterious," was her only reply.

"That's cute," Elliot said with a roll of his eyes. "Who was this guy?"

Olivia chuckled and shook her head. "Why are you so interested? The point of the informant is not to divulge his identity Elliot. I was only there to establish credibility."

"Was he credible?"

Olivia took another sip of coffee and lied her heart out for Fin. "Very."

Elliot was about to say something else when a strange look crossed his face as he stared at the doors to the squad room.

A thin Italian accented voice spoke, "I'm looking for Fin Tutuola."

"Sorry sir," the uniform answered. "Detective Tutuola is out on a case at the moment. Maybe one of the other detectives can help you though?"

Casey had stepped out of Captain Donald Cragen's office and had taken a seat beside Olivia, yet to see the Italian hunk standing at the doors of the squad room. When she did she could hardly keep her mouth closed, "Holy hell!"

Another smile tugged at Olivia's lips. She knew full well who it was Casey was looking at, but she hadn't bothered to turn around.

"Then is Olivia Benson here?"

That caught Olivia's breath in her mouth. For a moment she thought she wasn't going to get it back.

The uniform nodded and moved to Olivia's desk. "This man wants to speak to you detective, is that alright?"

Casey gave Olivia a look that meant only one word. Lucky.

"Sure."

Olivia stood up, ignoring the questioning look Elliot was sending her way before turning and walking over to Dante. "A sudden verge of trust?" she questioned.

A grin formed on Dante's lips again. "Let's take a walk. It's too crowded for me to talk in here."

Olivia stepped out of the squad room, blatantly attempting to ignore the hand that Dante had placed on the small of her back. Dante led her outside of the precinct completely and he took a seat on his motorcycle, put on a helmet and handing another to Olivia.

"You're not serious."

Dante grinned.

"You are serious…"

Olivia bit down slightly on her lower lip before taking the helmet from Dante. She couldn't believe she was going to get on the motorcycle with Fin's informant, she didn't even know anything about the guy. Except for maybe the fact that he was practically a walking visual hot-spot.

"Are you going to get on, or are you going to steal my helmet?"

Another grin from Dante.

"Alright, alright, I'm getting on," Olivia stated. She put the helmet on before taking a seat behind Dante on the motorcycle.

Dante cast a glance back at Olivia. "Better hold on babe."

&&&&&&&&&&

Fin stepped into the squad room after being told by the uniform a man who looked like he belonged in the mafia had come to visit him. Dante. That guy was a walking question.

"Should I assume the guy looking for you earlier was your informant?" Elliot questioned Fin as the other detective took a seat.

Fin just shrugged.

"Well, if you're not going to answer that, then at least tell me when he plans to bring my partner back."

Elliot seemed to have Fin's attention now.

"Aw shit, when did this happen?"

Elliot rolled his eyes. "Thirty minutes ago."

Fin groaned and mentally slapped himself. He should have brought John to test the credibility of Dante, but the Captain had insisted on Olivia.

"That man was sex on legs," Casey stated from her seat at Olivia's desk. She had plans to go to lunch with Olivia, only Olivia didn't exactly know just yet.

Fin shook his head. Dante had every woman in the state of New York wrapped around his pinky finger with a simply smile. He stood up and walked out of the squad room.

&&&&&&&&&&&

After about thirty minutes on the motorcycle with Dante, Fin's informant finally stopped at the park. He got off the bike and strapped the helmet to the handlebar and Olivia did the same.

"Are you going to tell me what's so important that you had to drive thirty minutes away from the precinct to central park?" she questioned.

Dante let the small smile fade from his lips. Business Dante had taken over once more, the same one that had gotten Fin to ask her to leave the two of them alone.

"This," Dante replied, handing an envelope to Olivia.

Olivia stared blankly at the envelope.

"What the hell is it?"

"An envelope."

This caused Olivia to roll her eyes. Dante merely smiled again.

"Right, ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer," Olivia stated. "And I guess I'm not supposed to look inside?"

Another smile. "It's for Fin."

"Let me get this straight."

Dante cocked up and eyebrow and listened to what Olivia was about to say.

"You hauled me onto a motorcycle, drove me thirty minutes to central park just to give me an envelope that I'm not supposed to look in and give to Fin?"

Dante's face blew up into a full-blown grin. "You got on the motorcycle yourself."

Olivia mentally slapped herself. "You're an asshole."

"You enjoyed the ride."

Dante sat back down on his motorcycle and put his helmet back on, holding the second one out to Olivia.

"Hell no, I'm not getting on there with you again," Olivia stated. "Next thing I know you'll be taking me to your place."

Dante grinned. "It's too early in our relationship for that."

Olivia was silent this time.

"Come on, I swear I'm not going to try anything, but I do want to make sure you get back to the precinct safely."

Olivia eyed Dante suspiciously.

"Fine."

She took the helmet and put it on again, taking a seat behind Dante and holding onto him.

&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot, Fin and Casey were discussing something outside on the sidewalk when the motorcycle with Dante and Olivia pulled back up.

"Oh fuck." Fin groaned.

"Holy hell, that guy really is a walking hot-spot." Casey was grinning.

Elliot just stared with a blank expression.

Olivia and Dante both stepped onto the curb after getting off the bike and Olivia handed her helmet to Dante who placed them both on the handlebars.

"Do me a favor next time Dante," Fin said. "Call first next time."

Dante smiled.

Olivia was moving away from Dante now.

"Hey babe, one more thing."

Olivia turned only to have Dante put his hand behind her head and pull her face to his, meeting her lips with his.

Olivia's eyes widened slightly and she pulled away.

Dante was met with a hell of a slap to the face and when he looked at Olivia next she was making her way back into the precinct.

"Well..." Dante said with a slight cough. "Never had that happen before."

Casey and Fin were grinning. Elliot looked a bit stunned by what he'd just seen and then he followed Olivia into the precinct.

"Hell, I'll kiss you if Olivia doesn't want too."

Dante grinned at Casey. "Sorry babe, I like the feisty one. She's a whole different woman then anyone else I've ever met."

Casey looked slightly disappointed but shrugged and made her way into the precinct.

"Well, now that you got that outta your system. You wanna tell me what you came here for?" Fin questioned.

Dante shrugged. "Olivia's got it, you better ask her."

Fin was making his way to the precinct now as well.

"Hey, where's she live?"

Dante was merely met with silence. He grinned before getting back on the motorcycle and taking off.

&&&&&&&&&&&

Fin looked at the envelope that was sitting on his desk. "I guess this was what Dante had?"

Olivia looked up.

"Yeah, that's what he drove me around for to give me."

That made Fin laugh.

"Girl, why'd you get on the bike with him to begin with?" he questioned.

Elliot looked up, clearly interested in the answer.

"Damned if I know," Olivia answered.

The uniform walked up to Olivia. "I was asked to give this to you detective," he stated before stepping away.

Olivia raised an eyebrow up in curiosity at the piece of paper that had been handed to her. She rolled her eyes before tossing it into the garbage.

"What was that?" Fin questioned.

Olivia smirked. "Dinner invitation signed D."

Elliot chuckled.

"And you threw it in the trash? I thought I heard Casey say that this guy was a walking hot-spot."

Olivia gave Elliot her best bitch stare at that moment. "If you're interested then you go have dinner with him."

Elliot grinned. "I'd rather have dinner with you."

Silence. Olivia looked a little stunned.

"What?" Elliot asked. "I practically eat dinner with you every night anyway. Just the fact that D. there isn't really my type."

Fin laughed and then took the envelope in his hands with him to a less crowded area.

Olivia smiled and rolled her eyes. This was going to be a long day.

&&&&&&&&&&

**So yeah. This is quite a bit different then my usual choice of story writing eh? Truth is, this is most likely EO, but hell. My fingers take over at points and I never know what's going to happen sometimes. Don't worry. I'll be finishing my other stories, but inspiration knocked, so I answered! -Kay**


	2. The Break In

**A/N**: Wow. I have to admit that I wasn't expecting as many people to be interested in this story, but I guess psychopaths always do catch our attentions no? Anyways. I hope that while there are some amusing comments and some teasing going on, that this story still has its serious moments. We'll have to see if I can keep this up, eh?

**Chapter 2**: The Break In

"How long ago did Olivia head home?"

Elliot had looked up from his desk. Captain Donald Cragen had asked the question while walking out of his office.

"A few hours ago Cap," Elliot said. "She said she wasn't feeling too good."

Cragen sighed. "Well unless she's going to die from it, you're going to need to go get her," he told Elliot.

Elliot raised an eyebrow up in confusion.

"What's going on?"

Cragen made his way over to Elliot and Olivia's conjoined desks and took a seat on the edge of Olivia's desk.

"Fin's informant came up with the next victim," he explained. "He's not sharing how he knows, but he says this woman will be next, and by next he could mean in one minute or two days."

Confusion was pretty clear on Elliot's features.

"You're really going to trust this guy?" Elliot questioned. "No offense Captain, but what makes you think he actually knows what he's doing?"

Cragen could only shrug in response to Elliot's comment. "I don't know anything for sure Elliot," he admitted. "But he claims this woman is next, and I'm not willing to take the chance of not doing anything, are you?"

Elliot knew his captain was right about that. No one would ever really be willing to take that chance.

"Okay, I'll call Olivia and make sure she's alright to go," he replied. "But if not I can do it on my own Cap."

Cragen nodded before returning back to his office.

Elliot leaned back in his chair for a moment. He shook his head. He hated the idea of having to call Olivia and tell her that she needed to come with him to a crime scene when she actually admitted she didn't feel well for once. Normally when Olivia wasn't feeling well, you needed a crowbar to pry her loose from her chair and a forklift to get her to go home.

Finally he picked up the phone and dialed Olivia's home phone. It rang once and went straight to her answering machine.

"Touché Olivia, guess we can see sleeping is your priority at the moment," Elliot stated with a chuckle after he had hung up the phone.

This time Elliot dialed the numbers to Olivia's cell phone. It rang twice and somebody picked up.

"Now, now Detective Stabler, Olivia can't come to the phone right now," the man's voice taunted.

Elliot's surprise was clear, but the anger was clearer. Someone was in Olivia's apartment and he was pretty sure that she was either not there and didn't know, or she was and.. he didn't want to think about that idea.

"Who the hell is this?" Elliot questioned.

Laughter shrouded over the phone and the man simply hung up the phone.

"Shit," Elliot groaned. He pulled on his jacket and noticed that Fin was just walking into the squad room. "I don't know what you got my partner involved in with that informant of yours, but follow me to her apartment. Someone answered her cell phone and I'm pretty sure she's either not there or doesn't want this guy to be."

Fin raised a questioning eyebrow but shrugged his jacket back on and followed Elliot back out.

&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot had made it to Olivia's apartment in record time. He was fairly sure he'd broken more then a few laws to do it too.

"You think this guy is still here?" Fin asked.

Elliot looked to Fin. "No, but I think Olivia's inside and I need to know that she's okay."

Fin merely nodded and followed Elliot into Olivia's building.

Elliot moved to unlock Olivia's door on the second floor with a spare key that she had given him only to have the door open with the small touch of him going to put the key in the lock. They checked the rooms as they went down the hall before they reached Olivia's bedroom.

Elliot gave the door a slight push and it opened.

"What the hell?" Olivia shot up from the bed, pulling the gun off the nightstand and aiming it at the intruders of her bedroom.

Elliot and Fin put their hands up quickly. "Christ Olivia, put the gun down. It's just Fin and me."

Olivia was pissed. More over, she felt sick and pissed. "_Just_ you and Fin?" she repeated. "What the hell are you guys going in my apartment with your guns drawn? Jesus, I thought you guys were going to attack me you jerks."

"Sorry," Elliot stated.

He and Fin passed apologetic looks to Olivia and put their guns in their holsters.

"Olivia, where's your cell?" Fin asked finally.

Olivia raised an eyebrow up at her two co-workers. Finally she squirmed out from underneath the covers merely wearing a pair of cotton boxer-shorts and a white tank top.

"Next to the bed," Olivia stated simply. "What the hell is going on?"

Elliot walked up to the end table and sure enough Olivia's cell phone was sitting there.

Elliot shifted slightly uncomfortable before asking the next question.

"Did you have someone over earlier?" he questioned.

The corners of Olivia's lips curled up slightly. "You didn't seriously come here with your guns drawn because you two thought I had company did you?"

Fin chuckled this time. Somehow he didn't doubt that Elliot would have actually done that.

"No," Elliot stated. He was glaring at Fin and merely grinned and shrugged. "I called your cell phone and a man answered and said you couldn't come to the phone. When I asked who it was, they laughed and hung up."

Olivia stared at Elliot like he'd lost his mind. "I think you called the wrong person then Elliot, cause no one's been here," she told him. "I'm a light sleeper. I woke up to you two jerks. I'm pretty sure I'd hear a cell phone ring and a man talking in my apartment."

Elliot groaned. Olivia wasn't going to believe all of this very easily.

"Why did you turn the ringer off on your house phone?" he questioned.

Confusion shown on Olivia's face on that question. "I didn't turn the ringer off, I never do that."

"Well it's off tonight," Elliot told her. "I called and it went straight to your answering machine."

Olivia scrunched up her nose slightly in distaste. She finally made her way past Elliot and Fin and down her hallway towards the living room. She picked up the phone and looked at it. The ringer was off.

"Okay.." Olivia said after a moment. "Now I believe you."

Fin and Elliot caught each other's eye before turning to look back at Olivia.

"Maybe you should get dressed," Fin suggested.

Elliot nodded. "We have a case to get to work on. I'll have someone come check the apartment for you when you finish changing."

Fin shrugged. "We should go check things out outside and make sure no one's snooping around anymore," he stated.

"Alright," Olivia sighed. "I'll be down in a few minutes."

Elliot and Fin nodded before heading out of Olivia's apartment to let her change.

"Think the guys really still outside?" Fin questioned Elliot now that they were out of Olivia's presence.

Elliot thought about it.

"Truthfully?" he said. "Not really. I think this guy is probably at least a mile away now. But who ever really knows? There are some psychos who like to stick around."

Fin shrugged slightly. He had no idea what to really think at this point. A few moments later he and Elliot had made it outside, and as soon as they did they saw Dante standing on the curb in front of the building.

"Yo'."

Elliot and Fin stared at Dante after he said 'Yo'.'

"What the hell are you doing here?" Elliot questioned.

Dante raised an eyebrow up at Elliot. "S'cuse me, but I didn't know it was illegal to visit my family."

Elliot stared at him. So did Fin for that matter.

"What family?" Fin asked after a moment of awkward silence.

Dante folded his arms across his chest. His green eyes made it clear he wasn't going to answer questions about his personal life.

"I'm not answering that. Why are you guys here?"

Elliot was silent this time.

After another moment of awkward silence the door to the building opened and Olivia stepped out wearing a pair of black jeans and a white t-shirt. Her gun was on the holster on her waist.

"There. I'm dressed. I'm out of bed. And I'm pissed. Are you two happy now?"

A small smile curved onto Dante's lips when he saw Olivia come out of the building. "Oh. That's why you're here."

Olivia blinked slightly in confusion as she reached the three men.

"Yo' babe."

That caused and eye roll from Olivia. "Hi Dante."

Elliot and Fin were silently contemplating Dante's 'family visit' at the moment.

"Are we going?" Olivia questioned. "I thought we had a case."

Dante chuckled before waving with his hand and stepping up to the doors of the building. He rang a buzzer and within a few seconds was buzzed into the building.

&&&&&&&&&&&

About fifteen minutes later Elliot, Olivia and Fin made it to the apartment building of the woman Dante had identified as the next victim in their case.

"What does this case have to do with SVU anyway?" Olivia questioned as they were let into the building by an elderly looking woman.

Elliot shrugged. "I don't think it has anything to do with SVU. All these women died in their bedrooms. That's about the closet to sex crimes as this has gotten."

Fin spoke up next. "I figure no one else wanted the case, so they toss it to us. All the women are locked tight into their apartments. Windows locked. Apartment dead-bolted and chain-locked from the inside. How the person got out of the room after killing them is a mystery all in its own.

"Strange," Olivia commented as they made their way up the stairs.

A scream from one of the rooms on the second floor had each of the detectives running within a moments notice.

Each apartment door on the second floor was open when they got up their, neighbors peering out and staring at apartment 2C with bug-eyes. It was the only door that was closed.

Elliot tried the door. Locked.

Finally he and Fin kicked the door in and moved inside with their guns out. Olivia was right behind them.

"Shit," Fin muttered out as they reached the bedroom.

There was only one person in the apartment. In the bedroom. The victim that Dante had shown them and given them a file on was lying on the bed, her eyes wide open. There was no doubt in any of their minds that she was dead.

"How the hell does this happen?" Olivia questioned. "There's no one else in here! The door was locked with a dead bolt and a security chain from the inside."

Olivia moved to the windows of the apartment and checked them all. Locked.

"This is impossible." She groaned. "Everything was locked from the inside. How is this guy getting out?"

Fin was on the phone calling for the ME and CSU, and their captain.

Elliot was keeping a careful eye on Olivia. "Are you alright?" he questioned.

Olivia didn't look well at all. She was pale. Her eyes simply looked tired and she looked defeated.

"I'm fine. I'll be outside."

Elliot nodded and watched Olivia leave.

Fin watched too. He punched another number into his phone.

"Yo'." Dante answered on his cell.

Fin rolled his eyes. "Where are you?"

"Outside."

Fin raised an eyebrow up in curiosity and waved for Elliot to follow him as he disconnected the line.

It was a moment later and Dante was standing outside on the curb by his bike. When Olivia came out of the building his eyes were simply locked on her. Something was clearly wrong with her.

"You ok babe?" Dante questioned as he took a few steps over to Olivia.

Olivia made a move to reply when a sudden dizziness overtook her. She lost a bit of balance and in a moment Dante had grabbed her arms and steadied her out.

"Fine.." was Olivia quiet response a moment later.

Elliot and Fin stepped out a moment later and looked at Olivia and Dante with a bit of awkwardness. Dante had his hands on Olivia's arms holding her steady on her feet.

Dante looked over at Elliot and Fin and then down at Olivia again. She was out of it. He looked back at Elliot and Fin.

"I think somebody should take her home. She doesn't look too good."

Fin and Elliot looked at each other. They both turned to look back at Dante.

Elliot was about to say something else when something nobody had really expected happened.

Olivia passed out, falling forward into Dante's arms.

"Shit," Fin said for again that day. "Should we take her to the hospital?" he questioned after he and Elliot ran to Dante and Olivia.

Elliot shook his head. "She's just tired. Add that to being sick.." He sighed. "I'll take her back to my apartment and make sure she finally sleeps."

Dante looked just a bit uncomfortable so he moved Olivia from his arms to Elliot's.

Fin and Dante watched as Elliot put Olivia into the passenger's seat of the squad car before heading off.

"I guess she's too stubborn to stay home when she's sick and get better?" Dante asked.

Fin smiled. "That's Olivia."

Fin turned to Dante after a moment when nobody else was around. "How did you know this woman would be next?"

Dante shrugged.

"Ok, why were you out here when I called you?"

Another shrug.

Fin groaned slightly. His informant had to be the most secretive guy on the face of the planet. After another second he caught a glimpse of a gun on Dante's waist, hidden beneath his jacket. "You do have a permit to carry that right?"

Dante smiled. "Yes."

"Concealed?" Fin asked.

A grin this time.

"Forget I asked," Fin said quickly.

Dante walked too his motorcycle and strapped his helmet on. "I'll call you when I find something new."

And he was gone.

"Arrogant bastard," Fin muttered under his breath.

&&&&&&&&&&

**So how was this chapter? I figured I'd get the case involved this chapter. There's going to be some more on this case later because it has to do with the main storyline. But don't worry. This isn't exactly case file. And I hope I'm making things interesting for you! Feel free to pass some ideas in your reviews. If I like it I may just use it. Thanks you guys. -Kay**


	3. Just Like The Victims?

**A/N**: I have so much inspiration for this story. I'm not really sure where it's all coming from but I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I have no idea how it all came to me, but it did.

Dedicated to Freestyler9125. I can always count on her to keep me writing.

**Chapter 3**: Just Like The Victims?

Olivia stared off the rooftop of her apartment building. It was dark. No one else was around and it all seemed peaceful without being around the constant reminder of her job. Nighttime was always the best.

"Pretty calm this late at night, isn't it?"

Olivia only turned her face. A man was standing right beside her. But a moment ago no one had even been on the roof, so how did this man get here in the first place?

"Who are you?" Olivia questioned.

The man simply smiled. "Do you really need to know?"

Olivia raised an eyebrow at this. "Yes," was her simple reply.

The man shrugged his shoulders. His hair was dark. Or it seemed to be, but it was dark and he was wearing a hat. And his skin seemed to have a slight tan complexion to it.

"I'm the man of your dreams Olivia."

"Excuse me?" Olivia questioned.

She couldn't exactly think of anything else to say in reply to what the man had just said to her. There wasn't really any time to react though. He'd pulled her to him by the waist and crashed his lips down onto hers. The odd part was that she couldn't find the will to pull herself away from it, much to her own dismay.

Pretty soon it was his hands under her shirt and yet she still found resisting useless. This was wrong.

"No.." came her whisper.

And as soon as the words left her lips everything seemed to clear. She opened her eyes to a bedroom. Not her bedroom. She was definitely confused. She looked under the covers. Dressed. That was good.. She hoped.

Her breathing had relaxed some from when she'd first woken up. At first she was trying to suck it all in. Now she was just a little hot and sweaty. She made it off the bed and too her feet, and when she looked at the picture on the end table she realized where she was. Elliot had brought her back to his apartment and let her sleep in his bed.

A slight sigh escaped her lips in a guilt-ridden fashion. She hated when Elliot went out of his way for her. She peeked at the clock on the end table as well. Two-fifteen AM. She shook her head slightly and opened the door to the bedroom. She creaked slightly down the hallway and stopped in the living room, holding in a slight chuckle at the sight.

Elliot was passed out, his feet stretched onto the coffee table and the TV still on.

A smile curled up onto the edges of her lips as she moved over to the couch and sat down next to Elliot to try and get him to move into his bedroom. She planned on going home. But when she sat Elliot's arm draped over her shoulder and he subconsciously pulled her right to him in his sleep.

A pink tint was making its way up to her cheeks now. For a moment she sucked in her breath, trying to decide what to do.

"Erm.. Elliot?"

That seemed to get his attention.

Elliot shot off the couch and fell right off.

"What the hell?" he questioned. He sat up and looked at Olivia. She was biting down hard on her bottom lip to keep from laughing at him, but he was pretty sure if she bit any harder she'd break skin.

Olivia grinned. "I was trying to get you up and tell you to get into your bed."

Elliot raised an eyebrow up at her now. "But instead you decided to cuddle? I didn't think of you as the cuddling type Olivia."

"It was more like you decided to cuddle." Olivia smirked. "I got caught in the crossfire."

Elliot stood up and sat back down on the couch. His eyes wandered to the clock above his TV before he looked back at Olivia.

"Why are you awake anyway?" he questioned.

Olivia simply shrugged.

"Uncomfortable I guess," she stated. "I'm going to head back to my apartment to sleep."

Elliot stared at Olivia for a moment. Somehow he couldn't seem to pull away from it and he moved forward, brushing his lips against hers.

Olivia was completely silent for a moment. She'd had no real response to the kiss. Actually, it was more like she didn't know how to respond. The dream made her uncomfortable. She stood up pretty quickly after a moment.

"I'll see you at the precinct later," she responded quietly before getting herself out of Elliot's apartment.

Elliot could only stare after her. He'd made one hell of a mistake right there.

&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia was in her own apartment now. She'd gone to sleep right when she got back. The door was locked with her dead bolt and security chain, the windows were all locked. It was now seven AM and Olivia had gotten into the bathtub about a half hour earlier. She was now fast asleep.

Her eyes flicked open a moment later. She'd left the phone on the counter just beside the bath tub. Something cold on her wrist caught her attention, along with the fact her arm wasn't moving very far.

"Son of a bitch! What the hell?" she yelled out in frustration. Her hand was handcuffed to the metal bar on her counter that she put towels to hang on.

She was fumbling with the handcuff for a few moments. The keys were somewhere in the living room, and she had no way of getting to them from the bathtub.

The phone on the counter started ring.

_Christ_.. Olivia thought to herself. She reached over with her free hand and retrieved the phone.

"Hello?"

"Yo' babe, it's Dante." Dante said over the phone. "I was trying to get Fin, but he won't answer the phone and some guy at the precinct gave me your number."

Olivia groaned. She was fairly sure that she didn't have much of a choice here but to ask Dante to help her. She was too uncomfortable asking Elliot after what had happened earlier that morning.

"Before you start going, I kind of need your help," she stated.

Dante's hesitation was clear even over the phone. "Er, what kind of help?"

Olivia shook her head. This was the most embarrassing thing she was ever going to have to do.

"I'm in my bathtub and.."

"WHOA! Hold the phone babe, what's your apartment number?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You asshole, someone handcuffed me to my counter while I was asleep in the tub, and I can't get to the keys in the living room."

Dante was laughing. "You got handcuffed with your own cuffs while you were sleeping in the tub?" he questioned.

"Yeah it's real funny. Now are you going to help me or not?"

"Yeah, what's your apartment number?" he asked finally. He'd gained some form of control over the laughter.

Olivia shook her head, mentally smacking herself. "2C."

Dante had disconnected after that.

A few seconds later she could hear the door jiggle. She groaned. The door was locked. She was confused though when there door opened and she heard the security chain stuck on the door. Another few seconds and she heard footsteps moving around her living room.

"Babe," Dante said with a grin.

He'd walked into the bathroom and couldn't hide the wide grin on his face.

"How the hell did you get past the deadbolt _and _the security chain?" Olivia questioned in utter shock.

Dante smiled. "Just one of my own special skills."

Olivia rolled her eyes. This guy was impossible. And he was looking at her like she was lunch.

"Are you going to uncuff me?"

Dante raised an eyebrow up at her. "I'm not really sure."

Olivia stared at him in disbelief. And suddenly he asked another question.

"You're naked?"

It was more of a statement then a question.

Olivia knocked her head back against the wall and groaned. "Actually, I take my baths fully clothed and everything."

Another smile curled up on the edges of Dante's lips. "Cute. Can I join you?"

Olivia's mouth hung open at this man's boldness.

"Careful," Dante warned. "I'm getting the wrong idea from that look."

"Jesus Christ!" Olivia yelled out in annoyance. "Just uncuff me!"

Dante grinned. "All right, all right," he stated. "Calm down, it's not my fault your nakedness is distracting me."

Olivia glared at him. "And it's not my fault you're a pervert," she replied wistfully.

"Who's got the keys to the cuffs here and who's naked in the tub?" Dante asked her. "Don't make me get in the bathtub and calm you down myself."

This guy had some real balls. Olivia couldn't deny that one. "Fine.. will you _please_ uncuff me?" she asked.

Dante chuckled before unlocking the handcuff on Olivia's wrist. He didn't give her much time to say anything else as he pulled a towel off of the shelf and handed it out to her. Somehow he actually managed to turn his head away as well.

Olivia was looking at him. She was debating on whether or not he really would look, but she somehow got the feeling that he wasn't quite as perverted as he made himself sound. Finally she stood up, taking the towel from him and wrapping it tightly around herself.

"I'll wait in your living room," Dante stated.

He didn't wait for a reply before he moved out of the room without even glancing back at Olivia in the towel. Olivia wasn't sure if she should be happy he didn't look or feel insecure because he didn't look.

A few seconds later she pulled the plug out of the drain on the bathtub and made her way to her bedroom. She stopped midway though, placing her hand on the way for support. She was feeling really dizzy all of the sudden.

"You okay?" Dante asked from the living room.

He'd caught the sudden stop of moment out of the corner of his eye and turned to see Olivia lean her hand on the wall for support.

Olivia nodded. "Yes."

A moment later she shook it off and moved into her bedroom to change.

After a few minutes she had on a pair of grey sweatpants and a black tank top. She had no intentions of going to work. She'd already planned on calling out. But she still needed to see what Dante had originally wanted when he had called.

"What did you need when you called?" Olivia questioned as she made her way into the living room.

Dante shook his head. "Not important now. I think the important question is who got into your apartment to handcuff you."

Olivia shrugged. She didn't want to even think about that question. "Don't worry about it. Can you hold on a moment?" she questioned.

Dante raised an eyebrow but held in his comment and just nodded.

A few seconds later Olivia had called out of work.

"Are you sure you feel okay?" Dante asked again.

Olivia turned her head to look at Dante strangely. "Why do you care so much about how I feel?"

Dante went silent.

Olivia's face looked a little guilt-ridden. She frowned slightly and took a seat on the couch next to where Dante was seated.

"Sorry," she said after a couple more seconds. "I didn't really mean it like that."

Dante looked over at Olivia again. He could tell she hadn't really meant for it to come out so harsh.

"Can I ask you a question though?" Olivia asked.

Dante blinked but nodded. "Shoot."

Olivia sighed and leaned back against the back of the couch. "Why exactly did you agree to help me?"

"Sparing the fact you were naked?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Yes," she answered.

Dante turned his face away from Olivia's. "You asked."

"You didn't just help because I asked, you don't even know me," she stated.

"I guess I don't, but that doesn't mean I was going to leave you handcuffed to your bathroom counter."

Olivia stared at him. "I could have called somebody else."

Dante smiled. "You could have."

"What are you getting at?" she questioned with a slight raise of her eyebrow.

Dante's eyes drifted to look at Olivia now.

"I'm getting at the fact that you could have called anyone and just hung up on me." Dante said. "You could have called your partner, but since you asked me to help, and you don't even know me, I'm going to assume something happened that made you uncomfortable asking him and more comfortable asking almost a complete stranger."

Olivia was quiet for a moment. She couldn't exactly deny the fact that what Dante had just said was true. She was uncomfortable with the idea of calling Elliot to come and uncuff her from the counter while she was naked in the bathtub. She wondered exactly what she would have done if Dante hadn't called her when he did.

"No offense Dante," Olivia started. "But if you're not going to tell me why you're here, then why _are_ you still here?"

Dante wasn't entirely fazed by Olivia's question to him.

"Because you don't look so good babe," he stated.

Olivia raised an eyebrow up. "Gee thanks, but I get the feeling you aren't just staying to tell me I don't look good today."

Dante shook his head. "I'm worried about you."

"Why?" Olivia asked.

Dante was silent for a moment as he thought of a way to explain things to Olivia.

"Why?" Olivia asked again.

Still silence.

Olivia finally moved her hand beneath Dante's chin and turned his face to look at her. "Tell me why you're worried about me Dante."

Dante shook his head.

"I deserve to know."

Dante sighed. "I'm worried because someone managed to get into your apartment with the door locked and chained and all the windows locked."

Olivia gave Dante a weird look this time. "You got into my apartment with all that stuff."

"I know," Dante said. "But that doesn't explain how the guy got back out of your apartment if everything was still in lockdown from this inside," he explained.

Olivia was silent this time.

"This was what happened to the other women a few days before they were murdered in their bedrooms Olivia. Murdered in cold blood while they were locked safe into their apartments and sleeping."

&&&&&&&&&&

**So. Is it funny? Is it creepy? Who the hell is Dante anyway and how does he know all this stuff? I've got this updating shit down for this story, don't I? Hehe. Hope you guys are enjoying so far. Those were just a few questions for you to ponder as the story goes on. -Kay**


	4. Silence Over the Phone

**A/N**: Does anyone else besides me feel like bobbing for apples? You do **Freestyler**?! Well too bad. How do you like 'dem apples?

**Chapter 4**: Silence Over the Phone

Olivia was silent for a few minutes after she had heard what Dante had said. She was trying to figure out how she should react to his words, but she couldn't seem to get the words from her lips.

"I'm sure it's just a coincidence," she finally managed.

Dante just looked at Olivia. "Do you really believe that?"

Olivia bit down slightly on her lower lip. Of course she didn't believe that. With her job she'd begun to realize that coincidences usually never happened.

"You're scared," Dante stated after studying the look on her face.

Olivia's eyes drifted in Dante's direction. "Wouldn't you be?" she asked. "You just told me someone was going to kill me in my sleep."

Dante was quiet for a moment before he spoke again.

"I didn't mean to scare you."

Olivia smiled a little. "Don't worry about it. You were just trying to warn me."

Dante nodded a bit and sighed. "You look tired," he said quietly.

"What?" Olivia questioned.

She raised an eyebrow up at him in curiosity.

"I said you look tired. Like you haven't been sleeping. Or at least not sleeping very well."

Olivia let a sigh escape her lips and looked down at the floor. "I guess it's a little bit of both."

Dante nodded in understanding.

"Why don't you go back to sleep?" he suggested. "I'll stick around out here. Make sure nobody sneaks around your apartment while you're not awake."

Olivia seemed to be judging the truth to his statement for a moment. She trusted him for some reason. But she was hesitant to do so because she hardly knew him.

"You can lock the bedroom door if you feel uncomfortable with me out here. I just want to make sure this guy doesn't get you while you're sleeping too."

Olivia was quiet again. But a small smile was on her lips. "I don't think locking the door with you around would help. You picked the lock on the front door pretty easily."

Dante smiled too. "Yeah, but I would never pick the lock to your bedroom. Unless, of course, I thought something was wrong."

"And by wrong, I take it you mean someone breaking into my bedroom?" she asked.

Dante shrugged and smiled innocently. "That and maybe the case of the missing clothes.."

That caused Olivia to laugh a little bit and she closed her eyes for a moment to think about something.

Dante stared at Olivia for a moment. He bit back a laugh when he realized about a minute later that she'd fallen asleep just like that. He stood up and carefully lifted her off the couch, trying to hold his surprise as she automatically wrapped her arms around his neck in her sleep.

He walked down the hall to the bedroom and when he got in, he attempted to put Olivia down on the bed. She had a firm hold of her arms around his neck.

_Christ_.. he mumbled in his head.

Dante sighed and walked back down the hall to the living room with her and sat down on the couch. He didn't want to wake her back up. He looked at her face and smiled a bit. She was definitely a lot different then the other women that he'd met in his life.

&&&&&&&&&

As Olivia was opening her eyes, the first thing she noticed was the fact that she was definitely close to somebody else. Scratch that. She was more then close. She was on somebody else. She noticed she was in Dante's arms in a position like he'd carried her. She tried not to laugh. He hadn't gotten very far.

Dante was fast asleep. She was fairly sure that she wouldn't be able to get out of the position she was in without waking him up, but she tried anyway. In her attempt to get off she wound up straddled on his lap, facing towards him and suddenly found her eyes meeting his green ones. He was awake now.

"I should let you sleep on me again. I like waking up in this position."

Olivia grew red in the face instantly and scrambled to get off of Dante's lap. His hands were holding her in her place by her waist though.

"I'm sorry," Olivia said quickly. She wasn't entirely sure what else she could say. "I was. I just. I mean.. I kind of wanted.. er.. sorry.."

Dante raised an eyebrow up at her but a smile was growing on his lips. "You're pretty funny when you're embarrassed or rattled about something."

Olivia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was a little too close for her. She'd been out of the dating game way too long and this position wasn't really helping her sense of reasoning.

Dante just smiled again and let his hands drop off of Olivia's waist. But she wasn't moving off of his lap.

"Need something?" he asked playfully.

Olivia opened her eyes again only to realize that Dante had moved his face directly in front of hers. She licked her bottom lip out of sheer nervousness of the whole situation. She couldn't place it, but she couldn't get the sense of moving now to respond.

"I just.. I don't.." she was stumbling on the words again. _Curse God for sexual frustration_.. Olivia groaned to herself inwardly.

Dante was amused to say the least by Olivia's reaction to being so close to him. After he realized that she wasn't moving away from him, he moved his face closer to hers and brushed his lips against hers.

Olivia didn't pull away at first, but she did after a moment. This time she didn't slap him though, so he supposed that was probably a good sign.

"If you want me to stop.."

Olivia cut off Dante's words as she placed her hand on the back of his head and pulled his mouth back to hers in an almost forceful kiss. Not that he seemed to object.

She'd had her hands on Dante's chest, her lips still on his when the ringing phone caught her attention. She groaned slightly in response and reached her hand over to the small round table beside the couch to grab the phone.

"Leave it.." Dante whispered in Olivia's ear, trailing a few kisses down her neckline.

Olivia shook her head and wiggled slightly at the kisses on her head as she answered the phone.

"Beh.. Benson," she said, stuttering slightly from what was going on in the meantime.

Nothing but silence came over the phone.

Olivia gave an uneasy glance to the phone and Dante caught it.

"Hello?" she questioned.

Once more she was just met with silence and she hung up the phone. As soon as she did so it rang again.

Dante was staring at the phone too now along with her.

"Benson," she said into it again.

She received no answer again and hung it up. But it rang again immediately after.

Olivia shared a short glance with Dante but this time he took the phone from her hands.

"Who the hell is this?" Dante asked into it, clearly frustrated with the person on the other end of the line.

"I could ask you the same question," Elliot replied over the phone.

Olivia sighed slightly. She was a little relieved when she heard Elliot's voice this time and took the phone from Dante.

"Elliot?" she questioned into it.

"Olivia, who the hell was that?"

Olivia bit down lightly on her lower lip. This was a little too awkward.

"It's Dante," she replied quietly.

She was only met with silence for a few moments.

"I'm not going to ask why he's there Olivia, but why did he answer the phone like that?"

Olivia scrunched up her nose slightly before answering.

"Because someone called twice and just breathed into the phone. We just thought you were that person again."

Olivia could tell Elliot wasn't really happy about Dante. Hell. Now that she was really thinking about it, she was a little upset with herself. She'd let it keep going, so it wasn't Dante's fault.

Elliot finally spoke over the phone after a short pause. "Is everything ok then?"

"Yeah, everything is fine Elliot," she replied with a sigh. "I'll see you tomorrow."

And she hung up.

Olivia moved off of Dante's lap finally and was now sitting beside him. She leaned forward and placed her head in hers hands.

Dante was quiet as he watched Olivia.

"You should go," Olivia said quietly.

Dante stared at her for a moment.

"You going to be okay?"

"I don't need to be watched while I'm awake," Olivia replied. "Just go."

Dante nodded slightly and stood up from the couch. He made his way to the door before turning around.

"If you need anything.. I'm staying with my sister over in 2D. Just come get me."

Olivia was quiet. She heard him. But she wasn't going to look at him.

Dante stared at her for a moment before speaking again. "Lock the door when I leave here," he said next.

"Sure."

As soon as Dante left and shut the door behind him Olivia got to her feet. She quietly made her way over the to door and locked it with the deadbolt and security chain. She shook her head and closed her eyes. At this point she felt more safe going to work and risking the chance of getting shot then staying in her apartment.

_Wonderful.._ she thought to herself. She sighed and walked towards her bedroom, pulling out a pair of black pants and a red t-shirt. Hell. Getting a job as a detonator on a bomb squad felt safer then her home at the moment.

She rolled her eyes at her own oddity before changing her clothes to the ones she had taken out. Then she put her holster on and grabbed her badge. She made a stop into the bathroom and brushed her hair, then went back into the living room and put her shoes on.

Next she grabbed her purse off the table and then left her apartment, relocking the door behind her.

"Afternoon Olivia."

Olivia looked up and smiled at one of her neighbors, Adriana. "Hey Adriana."

Adriana grinned. She had short brown hair and brown eyes, her skin color slightly tan. Her accent with a hint of Italian in it.

"I'm not used to seeing you around at lunch time. Has anyone ever told you that you work too much" she asked jokingly.

"All the time," Olivia replied with a light laugh.

Adriana placed her hands on her hips and shook her head in disapproval.

"By the way, have you seen my brother around here?" Adriana asked. "He left earlier this morning and didn't come back. He's a little taller then you, black hair in a pony-tail, green eyes. His name is Antonio."

Olivia thought about it for a second. It sounded like Dante. And he did say he was staying with his sister. "Dante?" she asked.

Adriana smiled and nodded, rolling her eyes slightly. "Yeah that's him, he always goes by his middle name, hates the first name. Something to do with it ending with an 'o'."

"A few minutes ago I saw him," she replied. _More like I was straddling him_.. she thought to herself. She quickly shook the thoughts out of her head. "I think he went back to your apartment."

"Good! I have to go slap that self-righteous pompous pig of a brother of mine!" Adriana said quickly.

Olivia tried her best not to laugh at what Adriana just said. She was only a year or two younger then herself.

Adriana just smiled again. "I'll see you around Olivia, don't be a stranger!"

Olivia smiled back and waved to Adriana as she walked towards her apartment. She watched Adriana go inside and as soon as the door was closed some words were spoken in Italian that Olivia was pretty sure didn't fly as 'sisterly love'.

&&&&&&&&&

Olivia stepped off the elevator and made her way over to the squad room.

"Detective Benson, I thought you weren't going to be in today."

Olivia looked up and caught the eye of a uniformed officer.

"I wasn't," she replied simply.

She smiled a bit and went into the squad room, tossing her things into her locker. She knew no one expected her to be in, and she currently had Fin, Elliot and John staring at her with a strange look.

Olivia raised an eyebrow up as she sat down at her desk. "What?"

John simply looked back down at his paperwork and went back to writing. Fin was on the phone so he went back to the conversation, but Elliot was still looking at her.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay enough to be here?" Elliot asked after a few seconds of silence.

Olivia smiled a bit. "I'm feeling fine, really. Don't worry about it Elliot."

"If you say so."

"Detective Benson?"

Olivia turned in her seat to see the uniform from earlier standing behind her.

She looked at him strangely. "Yes?" she asked.

"Oh, sorry for interrupting. You uh, you have a phone call on line two, detective."

Olivia smiled and nodded. "Thanks."

She watched the uniform walk away before turning back to her desk and picking up the phone. "This is Detective Benson," she said as she leaned back in her chair.

Nothing but breathing came over the phone, just like earlier at her house.

She shifted uncomfortably for a moment before hanging up the phone. "Must have hung up," she lied.

The phone actually rang this time and Olivia looked at it in silence.

"Looks like they called back," Elliot said with amusement. "Aren't you going to answer it?"

Olivia shook her head, causing Elliot a bit of alarm.

"Stabler," he said, picking up the phone. As soon as he did the breathing stopped and the click of the phone hanging up sounded.

Olivia silently watched Elliot hang the phone up and look at her.

"Is that what was going on this morning?"

Olivia nodded slightly.

Elliot sighed. "Why didn't you just call me instead of that Dante guy? I would have came Olivia."

"I didn't.." Olivia started. She quieted though, realizing Elliot thought she called Dante because of the phone calls. "I didn't call him, he's staying with his sister Adriana in the building and he was close-by."

Elliot nodded. Then Olivia's phone started ringing again.

Olivia and Elliot looked at each other in silence for a moment before Elliot picked the phone up again for her.

"Stabler." He said again, holding in his annoyance.

He was silent for a moment. "We'll be right there."

Olivia was looking at Elliot, waiting for him to say what it was.

"We've got another victim," he explained before standing up and pulling on his jacket, then watching Olivia do the same.

&&&&&&&&&&

**Hope you guys liked this chapter. I'm sorry it took a bit to update, but I didn't feel like updating when the alert system wasn't working, it makes everything way too confusing. Don't worry, I've already started work on the next chapter! Should be up soon. -Kay**


	5. Reach For the Stars

**A/N**: I like fishies cause they're soooo delicious. Gotta love goldfish **Color Esperanza**. Gotta love goldfish. What's that? You don't like goldfish? Well TOO BAD! See if I ever dedicate another chapter to you.

**Chapter 5**: Reach For the Stars

Olivia and Elliot were staring at the dead body of the woman that was lying in her bed.

"How the hell does this even happen?" Olivia asked.

She was staring, unable to fully grasp how this woman appeared to have been killed.

Melinda Warner could only shrug in response to the detectives' questions.

"It doesn't make sense to me either Olivia," Melinda stated. "But this woman was definitely burned while she was in the bed."

Elliot didn't look entirely convinced of what he and Olivia had just been told about the dead woman either.

"The bed would have caught on fire," Elliot said. "It's not even remotely possible that a body went up in flames and didn't catch the bed on fire."

"I'm sorry you two, but I'll know more after an autopsy," Melinda said. "I'll call you as soon as the results of the autopsy are in," she told them.

Olivia and Elliot nodded in response and made their way out of the apartment.

Elliot was about to go out the door of the building when his cell phone started ringing.

"I'll be out in a second Olivia," he told her before answering his cell phone. "Stabler."

Olivia nodded and made her way toward the car. She watched Elliot who seemed a little agitated with what was being said to him over the phone. Then she watched him hang up as a tech handed him something. He was walking towards her a few seconds later.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

Elliot shook his head. "Why didn't you tell me that Dante thought you might be one of the next victims?"

Olivia was silent in response to the question Elliot asked.

"I think its Dante doing all of this Olivia," Elliot stated.

Olivia's face held a now stunned expression. "What in the world makes you think that?"

"This does," Elliot replied as he handed over an evidence bag with a piece of paper in it to Olivia.

"What is it?" Olivia questioned as she took it from him.

Elliot pointed to the words on the paper. "Dinner invitation, signed D." he said to her. "Look familiar?"

Olivia was silent as she stared at the piece of paper. "You really think it was Dante?" she asked him.

"Evidence is pointing to it Olivia," he told her. "Just because you slept with him, doesn't mean.."

"Excuse me?" Olivia questioned quickly.

Elliot shut his mouth quickly. He hadn't meant to say what he just did to her.

Olivia shook her head. "You son of a bitch," she said to him, clearly pissed off. "I would think you should know me better then that."

"Olivia. I swear I didn't mean for that to come out," he said quickly.

"Didn't mean for it to come out?" Olivia asked. "So you still meant it."

Elliot groaned as he watched Olivia start walking away. He grabbed her arm quickly to stop her from walking away from him.

"Olivia, please just listen to me," he begged.

"Go to hell you asshole," Olivia said to him.

She pulled her arm from Elliot's grasp and walked away. She stopped when Adriana pulled up next to her on the curb.

Adriana smiled. "Need a ride girl?"

Olivia gave her friend a small smile and walked towards the car.

"Olivia!" Elliot called out. He ran over to her quickly. "Olivia, I didn't mean.."

Elliot didn't get to finish before Olivia's hand met the side of his face in a hard slap.

"Liv.."

Olivia stepped away from him and got in the car with Adriana.

Adriana gave Elliot some sort of Italian hand gesture, and then she gave him the finger.

Elliot went completely silent and watched Olivia and the other woman drive away as John came up next to him.

"What the hell could you have done to piss off two extremely attractive women?" John asked.

"Shut up John."

&&&&&&&&&&

Adriana smiled as she pulled into the parking lot of their apartment building.

"You know Olivia, if it were any other guy who said that to you, you probably wouldn't have cared," Adriana said to her.

Olivia was quiet for a moment.

"I don't know what you're talking about Adriana," Olivia stated simply.

"Sure you do," Adriana replied. "You care about what that guy thinks of you."

Olivia's gaze shifted to Adriana.

Adriana smiled again and tilted her head to the side. "Admit it Olivia, you like the guy, and that's why you care."

"I don't like him Adriana, he's my partner," Olivia replied.

Adriana grinned. "If he's your partner then you must like him at least a little."

Olivia raised an eyebrow up at Adriana. "We're friends."

"Right," Adriana said. "Friends. I'll bet you are!"

Olivia was quiet again.

Adriana got out of the car now and Olivia did the same.

"He cares about you too," Adriana stated as they were going up the stairs.

"What?" Olivia questioned after a second of stunned silence.

Adriana was smiling again. "He wouldn't have said what he did, if he didn't care about the fact he thought you did it."

Olivia smiled a bit, but she was exhausted at this point and she just wanted to be in bed.

"I'm going to go lay down Adriana, I'm not really feeling that good," she told Adriana.

Adriana nodded. "I'll see you later Olivia, call me if you want to talk."

Olivia smiled again and nodded before going into her apartment and locking the door behind her, then putting the security chain in place.

She couldn't help but keep thinking about what Elliot had said about Dante though. He really did have a lot of evidence pointing to him.

"That Elliot guy must have really done something wrong because he's called about three times and said he was sorry to your answering machine."

Olivia jumped. "What the hell are you doing in here?!" she yelled as she turned and saw Dante on the couch.

Dante raised an eyebrow up and smiled at her.

"I was checking things out, making sure no one broke in," he replied.

Olivia glared at him. "YOU broke in."

Dante's lips curved up into a small smile. "Besides me."

"You're the only one who EVER seems to break in," she stated.

Dante stared at her curiously. "What the hell did that guy say to you that pissed you off?" he questioned.

"It's none of your business," Olivia replied. "Get the hell out."

"Olivia.." Dante tried again.

Olivia pointed at the door. "Out! Just get out!"

Dante was silent as he stood up and he simply did as he was told.

Olivia silently walked to the door and locked it again, replacing the security chain before letting a slight sigh escape from her lips. She was getting paranoid about all of this and she didn't like it.

"My life needs less complications.." she mumbled under her breath before walking down the hallway towards her bedroom.

She changed into a pair of black boxer-shorts and a white tank top and tossed the other clothes into her laundry bin before slipping under the covers of her bed and drifting off to sleep.

&&&&&&&&&&

"Are there any connections between the victims? Any kind of relationship between them that helps this guy choose who will be next?" Cragen asked the detectives as they stared at a board in the squad room with all the current victims on it.

Everyone shrugged. They hadn't been able to find anything like that.

Elliot was silent as he glanced through the files. "Shit..." he muttered under his breath.

"Care to share what you found Elliot?" Cragen asked.

Elliot glanced up at everyone staring at him.

"I found one thing that every victim has in common," Elliot stated.

Fin raised an eyebrow up in curiosity.

John blinked. "What is it?"

"Apartment number," Elliot replied to all their questions. "Each victim lived in apartment 2C."

John stood up, "Wait," he said after a moment. "Put the markers on each victim's apartment," he told Fin.

Fin shrugged and did what John said, placing a marker on each of the victim's apartment building's on the map.

"He's drawing his own little map," John stated.

Everyone stared it him.

"What are you talking about Munch?" Cragen asked.

"A circle," John replied. "The pattern of victims makes a circle."

Fin could see it now. In fact, so could Elliot and Cragen.

Elliot didn't get it though. "But he didn't do the circle in order, and the circle is done."

"He's right Munch," Fin stated after a moment.

John shrugged. "Maybe it wasn't a circle, give me one of those dry erase markers," he told them.

Elliot handed John the marker.

John began drawing lines starting with the first victim, to the second, and so on and so forth. The shape he came out with in the end was a star.

"Why a star?" Cragen question.

John didn't know the answer to that one either.

Elliot stood up from his seat and took a closer look in the map.

"Because of the middle of the star," he said suddenly.

"What about it?" Cragen asked.

George had been listening in. "He means the last victim. The last victim was the victim he wanted to begin with. He placed her in the center of the star."

Everyone looked over at George.

"But who's in the middle?" Fin questioned.

Elliot was quiet for a moment. "It's Olivia."

Everyone was silently stunned. Elliot seemed to be right. Olivia's building was in the middle.

"It's your God Damn informant," Elliot yelled at Fin.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Fin questioned. "You think Dante was killing all these women?"

Elliot just looked pissed. "You better believe I think that. He left Olivia that dinner invitation signed D. remember?"

Fin rolled his eyes. "So a dinner invitation makes him a killer? Stop being a jealous asshole."

"No Fin, they found the exact same dinner invitation on the dresser of the last victim," Elliot stated.

"Shit.." Fin mumbled out. "What makes you think he even gave them those invitations?"

"Who did I give invitations to?"

Everyone turned and looked at Dante in the doors of the squad room.

Elliot was angry, that was clear.

"You son of a bitch," he said and moved towards Dante.

"SIT DOWN Stabler," Cragen commanded his detective.

Elliot stopped in his tracks. He sat down at his desk, glaring pointedly at Dante.

Even John seemed a little untrusting of Dante at the moment.

"Finger prints found on those dinner invitations you guys found," Melinda Warner said as she walked passed Dante into the squad room.

Fin looked at Dante. "You gotta clear yourself here man, mind giving us your prints?"

Melinda looked over at Dante. "It's definitely not him," she told them all.

"How do you know what?" Cragen questioned.

"Because I got a hit from the database," Melinda replied.

Fin blinked. "So what was he in the system for?"

Melinda shook her head. "He wasn't in the system because he committed a crime Fin."

Everyone was staring at her.

"This guy is law enforcement," she told them all.

Silence.

"Who is it?" Elliot asked after a moment.

"He's in this precinct," Melinda told them. "Gregory Daemons."

No one recognized the name.

Fin groaned. "Who the hell is that?"

"Does this help?" Melinda questioned as she held up a picture of the man.

John recognized him the quickest. "Now I know who it is," he stated. "It's that uniform who's posted outside the squad room. He's always staring at Olivia."

Cragen was quick. "Let's find this guy, see if he's working right now and if he's not, find out where the bastard lives."

Elliot stood up and walked over to Dante. Both men just stared at each other for a moment. Neither said a word.

"Sorry," Elliot finally said after a moment.

Dante looked down at Elliot's hand which was out in a gesture to shake hands. He accepted the gesture and shook Elliot's hand.

Dante grinned. "Don't worry about it, if I were you I'd probably suspect me too."

&&&&&&&&&&

**So am I writing this story fast or what? I'm so totally into this and I can't figure out why. I guess I like having a character whose personality _I _got to make up on my own. All those fans of 'The Door Spawned From Hell'.. never fear. I nearly have the next chapter of that finished for you all! Exciting, no?**

**I think it said I had updated this already. But as the alert system had screwed a lot of people, I had decided to wait. So here it is now that things are working right you guys. :) Enjoy. -Kay**


	6. Nightmare to Mark the End

**A/N**: So yup. Here's the next chapter, after a big alert failure. Again.

Dedicated to Cold Case Chick and obsessedwithstabler. They make me giggle. Hehe.

Heck yeah people! 21 reviews for that last chapter! You made me feel awesome. Thanks so much!

**Chapter 6**:

Olivia looked around at where she was. No windows and no doors were in the room with her. The only thing she did see was four white walls.

"What the hell is going on?" she questioned out loud.

"Maybe you shouldn't have denied me Olivia. I could give you another chance."

Olivia turned to look at the person who had talked. She stared at the man and this time she could see who he was more clearly. She recognized him. It was the uniform she always saw outside of the squad room at the precinct.

She bit down on her lower lip. "What do you want?"

"You. I want you, Olivia," he replied.

Olivia stepped away from him. "I don't even know you," she stated.

He simply smiled and backed Olivia against the wall. He then placed his hands on Olivia's hips.

"But I know everything about you," he replied.

"Get away from me," Olivia said quickly as she shoved him away from her.

He frowned. "But Olivia. I've done so much and it all leads me right back to you."

Olivia was silent as she stared at the man in front of her.

"What are you talking about?" she asked him after a moment of silence.

"Five women, Olivia. Five women and I could only think of you at the end of it all."

Olivia understood now. Dante had been right. She was a future victim. But she also appeared to be the last one on this list.

He was smiling now. "You're amazing Olivia," he told her. "I just can't get over you."

"You killed all those women?" Olivia asked.

"Of course," he replied.

Olivia moved as far away from him as she possibly could. "But why kill them all?"

He made a facial expression as though the answer to that question were the most obvious thing on the face of the planet.

"Why not kill them?" he asked in response. "They all denied me. They turned me down, even in their dreams!"

"In their dreams?"

He was smiling again. "I can do that Olivia. I can become a part of your dreams. The man of your dreams."

Olivia moved away as soon as he started moving closer to her again.

"Try nightmares.." she mumbled out under her breath.

"You shouldn't say things like that about me Olivia."

Olivia bit down on her lower lip. "Stay away from me."

"You don't really want me to do that. Do you Olivia?" he asked her.

Olivia was silent for a moment. "Stay away."

He frowned. "Fine. If that's the way you want things to be between us, then so be it Olivia."

"What the hell?" Olivia questioned.

He was simply gone.

Olivia looked around. Still nothing. There was no way for her to get out of the room that she was in.

Movement caught her eyes. But it wasn't a person that was moving. She took a second glance at the wall across the room.

"No way.." she mumbled out.

She could swear the wall was moving in closer to her. She stared for a few moments and realized it really was getting closer. Her eyes widened slightly in disbelief.

"Jesus Christ," she said as she backed against the wall behind her.

A faint ringing was buzzing in her ears now and she glanced around, trying to figure out what it was as it got louder. She glanced back at the wall and it was only a few feet away at this point.

She threw her hands up in front of her eyes. She didn't want to see this thing coming anymore.

A moment later nothing had happened. She moved her hands away and found herself sitting up in bed in a cold sweat.

"God damn it.." she whispered out as she took a deep, calming breath. "I'm going to wind up never sleeping with nightmares like that.."

Her phone was ringing. She turned to look at it and picked it up off the end table beside her bed.

"Benson," she answered in a bit of a raspy tone of voice.

Elliot's voice came over the phone. "You okay Olivia?"

Olivia sighed in relief.

"I'm fine, the phone woke me up," she replied.

"Sorry about that," Elliot said quickly. "I'm on my way over there Liv, keep everything locked until I get there okay?"

Olivia's eyebrow rose up slightly in curiosity. "What's going on?"

She stood up from the bed and made her way towards the living room to check her locks as Elliot started to explain things to her. When he mentioned the uniformed officer she practically froze in her spot.

"What did you just say?" she questioned.

Elliot repeated the part about the uniform.

Olivia sighed. "Just get over here quick, okay?"

"What's wrong?" Elliot asked.

Olivia turned around after checking the locks.

"It's just.."

Olivia's eyes widened slightly as a man was standing in front of her. She had no time to react before he shoved something sharp into her neck. Before she knew it she fell to the floor.

&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot only heard a dull thud after Olivia stopped talking on the phone.

"Olivia?"

Silence.

"Olivia come on, talk to me," he tried again.

The faint sound of someone picking up the phone from the floor came over his end.

"Tell me Detective Stabler. Did you know that if you die in your dreams you die in real life too?"

Elliot's eyes widened. He tossed the cell phone to the side and slammed down harder on the gas pedal.

&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot was moving quickly through Olivia's building as he went up the stairs towards her apartment. He ignored the strange look that the woman, who Olivia had gone with earlier, was giving him at the moment.

"Olivia!" he called out as he tried the door to her apartment.

Adriana watched Olivia's partner silently.

"Damn it," he mumbled out.

He didn't bother using the key to her apartment due to the security chain, but when he tried the door again it creaked open.

"Shit," Elliot whispered.

Olivia was simply lying on the floor right in front of the door. Her breathing showed that she was still alive and her eyes were open and looked a bit glossed over.

Elliot knelt down by Olivia and checked her over before calling for an ambulance for her.

"Olivia, just hold on. The ambulance is on the way," he whispered to her.

He placed his hand over top of hers and he saw her eyes flicker slightly. But it seemed to be fear that had shown in them for a brief moment.

Elliot turned quickly to look behind him but he had no time to react as the barrel of Olivia's gun was now pointing directly between his eyes.

"Nice to see you Detective Stabler."

Elliot was silent. It was the uniform Gregory Miller.

"I can see the way you look at her Detective," Gregory said to Elliot. "I can see the way you care about her more then a partner should and it's sick."

Adriana glanced into the room and her eyes widened at the site she saw. She moved away quickly to her apartment. She had to call Dante.

Elliot took a deep breath. "What are you talking about?"

"Olivia belongs to me," Gregory replied. "You'll never get to be so close to her again."

Elliot simply watched Gregory carefully. "Olivia doesn't belong to you," he said.

Gregory glared at Elliot.

"You probably couldn't even own a hamster," Elliot stated next.

He was purposely trying to rattle the other man. Anything he could do to keep Gregory talking would have to do.

"You don't know anything," Gregory replied angrily.

Elliot was smiling now.

Gregory was pissed. "Don't smile you son of a bitch!"

"Maybe you should drop the gun."

Gregory froze at the voice that came from behind him. He was quick in his attempt to pull the trigger on Elliot, but the person behind him was quicker and her never got the chance.

Elliot had never thought he'd actually be happy to see Dante before this point.

"Thanks," he said. "But how did you even know what was happening?" Elliot asked curiously.

"Always the detective," Dante replied with a smile. "It's easy. My sister Addie called me."

Dante motioned to the small woman who came up next to him.

"Is Olivia okay?" Adriana asked quickly as she stared down at her friend.

Elliot frowned slightly. "I'm not sure. But I already called an ambulance," he told them. "They should be here soon."

Dante moved over towards Olivia and started checking different things about her.

"What are you doing?" Elliot questioned Dante.

"Dante went to med school," Adriana answered for her brother with a small smile planted on her face.

Elliot raised an eyebrow up slightly at Dante.

"You're a doctor?"

Dante smirked slightly at Elliot's question and finished looking over Olivia before he turned to look at Elliot.

Elliot was staring curiously.

"I'm not a doctor," Dante answered. "She said I went to med school, not that I was a doctor."

"Fair enough," Elliot replied. "But how is she?"

Dante looked down at Olivia for a moment before he looked back up at Elliot.

"All we're going to need that ambulance for is this guy," Dante stated. "Olivia's going to be just fine. Looks like it was a minor injection to temporarily paralyze her, but that was about it."

Elliot glanced down at Olivia.

"When is it going to wear off?" he asked Dante.

"Ten, maybe fifteen minutes," Dante replied.

Elliot gave Dante a strange look. The guy was still really odd. He'd gone to med school, but he never became a doctor. He was playing informant for Fin, and there was no way he wanted to know how that managed to come about.

Elliot sighed a bit. "Can we move her?"

"I guess we could, but I wouldn't suggest it. I'd feel better if we kept her where she was until it wears off," Dante told Elliot.

Elliot nodded a bit in response to what Dante had suggested to him.

Dante glanced back at Olivia again. This woman got under his skin way too easily. This was the first time he had actually gone all out for somebody who wasn't his sister Adriana.

Adriana smiled a little bit at her older brother and shook her head. He may have acted tough, but there were times when Dante was really just a big softy. And Olivia got him in that zone.

&&&&&&&&&&

It was about ten minutes later and an ambulance had come and gone, taking Gregory Miller with them.

Olivia was slowly pushing herself up into a sitting position with the help of Adriana since both Elliot and Dante had followed the paramedics out for a moment and were yet to come back up.

"How do you feel?" Adriana asked after a few moments of silence between them.

Olivia shook her head slightly to get rid of the small headache she still had and the wooziness she still felt.

"I feel like I was hit with a bus," Olivia stated truthfully with a groan as she placed her hand on the side of her head. "What happened?" she asked. "I mean I know what happened, but what the hell did he do to me?"

"My brother said it was an injection causing temporary paralysis or something. I'm really not too sure on the details. I was left out of his and your partner's little boy's club," Adriana explained to Olivia.

Olivia sighed slightly in response to that. She hated the fact that she had been so vulnerable like that. But she knew there was nothing actually done to her. Still. Nothing changed the fact of what could have happened…

&&&&&&&&&&

**I'm sorry for taking so long to actually put this up. It was all in a notebook, I swear. But I just needed to type it, and I had lost the notebook for a while before realizing it was in my car. Silly me… But you all did seem to enjoy my two one-shots! 'Dani Got Run Over By a Kid on a Three-Wheeler' and 'What Hurts The Most'! And if you haven't read them, I think you should! Tee hee. Hope you liked it guys. -Kay**


	7. Endings and Beginnings

**Disclaimer**: Neeeeeever.

**A/N**: Dedicated to Color Esperanza. She listened to me rant and rave about a lot of stuff. This is for you chikadee.

**Chapter 7**: Endings and Beginnings

It had been about a week since the Gregory Miller incident. He'd disappeared. The ambulance was found crashed into a tree, never having actually made it to the hospital, and Gregory had simply disappeared off the face of the planet since then.

Olivia sighed and sat back in her chair at her desk. She didn't like the idea of not knowing whether or not the guy that had tried to kill her, was going to try to do it again.

"You okay Olivia?" John asked.

He came over and sat down on the corner of her desk. She always seemed to make him a bit less cynical when something was wrong.

Olivia seemed almost startled. She hadn't even been aware that anyone else was in the precinct yet let alone it being John who was there.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks Munch," she answered. "Why are you here this early?"

John smirked.

"I agreed to do Fin's graveyard duty this time if he'd do mine next time," he replied. "But that doesn't explain why you're here this early Olivia."

Olivia simply smiled and shrugged in response to what he said.

John rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You haven't been here all night have you?" he asked.

"Of course not."

John just shook his head.

"Go home."

Olivia stared at him as though he had lost his mind. Did he actually think he was going to get her to go home? She'd have to be back here in three hours anyways. It was pointless.

John sighed.

"I already did my civil duty and called the captain, telling him you were taking a sick day. Go home."

Olivia was in utter shock.

"And how do you think you're going to make me go home?" she asked him.

John groaned. "I'll haul you out in my bony ass arms if I have to woman."

"I just heard hauling and ass in one sentence. Maybe I should come back later," sounded Dante's voice from the doors of the squad room.

John chuckled slightly as he looked behind Olivia at Dante by the doors.

Olivia turned and looked at Dante with a strange look before going to work on a paper in front of her.

Dante blinked. As far as he knew only one of the detectives ever actually worked a graveyard shift at a time. At least that's what Fin had told him. So why was Olivia and John there?

"So.. Fin's not here?"

John shook his head. "Nah, I'm covering for him. Said he had something to take care of."

Dante nodded.

"So why is she here?" he questioned.

Olivia chuckled. "I am in the room, you don't need to talk like I'm not here," she told him.

John smirked slightly at Olivia's reaction.

"She won't go home. Will you take her?" he asked Dante.

Dante coughed slightly in response. He wasn't sure that even he was up to _that_ task.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Alright. Fine. I'm going. I'm gone."

She got up from her seat and grabbed her stuff before walking past Dante and out the door.

"Make sure she gets back safely?" John asked Dante seriously now.

Dante nodded. He fully understood the detective's reasons for concern considering the missing man who was obsessed with one Olivia Benson. He silently followed Olivia out of the doors and into the elevator.

Olivia cast a sideways glance at Dante, but otherwise ignored him.

"Are you okay?" he asked after a moment.

Olivia's eyes found their way to Dante once more. She knew exactly what he meant with his question but that didn't mean that she was going to actually answer him. Instead she looked back towards the door, finding the wait far too long.

One of her worst nightmares for that moment happened as well. The power went out and the elevator came to a sudden halt lurching her forward. Fortunately, Dante had grabbed her. Now she found herself against his chest. Luckily with the darkness, the red in her cheeks wasn't quite visible.

"Okay. _Now_ are you okay?" Dante asked in amusement.

Olivia took a moment before she answered. First she pulled out of his hold.

"I'm fine."

"Of course you are," Dante stated.

Olivia glared in Dante's direction even though she knew full well that he couldn't see a thing she was doing. After a moment of silence she sat down on the floor with her back against the back of the elevator.

Dante didn't bother to hide his amused look in the dark as she ignored him.

"You know," he started. "This is going to seem a lot more longer and awkward if you just sit there and ignore me instead of talking."

Olivia rolled her eyes.

Dante took a seat next to her.

"Come on," he pushed. "I know you want to talk to me."

Olivia's lips twitched in an effort not to smile.

"You know I know you want to talk to me."

Olivia bit down on her lip this time.

Dante smiled. He could tell he was finally getting to her at this point just by her shifts in movement.

"I know you know I knuh-"

"Okay! Okay!" Olivia said before she started laughing. "I get the point."

Dante chuckled slightly in response. He turned his head to face her after a moment.

He smiled a bit. "Are you worried about that guy?"

Olivia shrugged slightly.

"A little bit," she replied honestly.

Dante nodded a bit. He understood that completely. But he hadn't really expected her to admit it to him.

She cast a glance over at Dante again.

"John asked you to watch me, didn't he?"

Dante coughed slightly uncomfortable at the moment. He supposed he should be honest with her if she was being honest with him.

He nodded finally. "Yeah he did."

Olivia just nodded. Normally she'd be mad about it. But she was trapped in an elevator with Dante. It really wouldn't be right to take her anger out on him.

"There's nothing wrong with actually being afraid of this guy," he told her. "You do know that, right?"

Olivia was silent.

Dante glanced over her face in the dark. Her expression was hard to read at that moment. But he could tell she didn't think that it was okay to be afraid of somebody. She probably had a hard enough time admitting to herself that she was even scared to begin with.

"Come on. We all have our moments of fear."

Olivia's eyes found their way to Dante's face again with a look of curiosity.

"Do you have your moments of fear?" she asked.

Dante was silent now.

Olivia nodded slightly at his silence and looked forward at the doors of the elevator.

"I've had them."

A look of surprise etched over Olivia's facial features as she turned to look at Dante.

Dante smiled at the look on Olivia's face. He loved the element of surprise.

"Everyone's allowed to be afraid Olivia. Even of another person," he told her.

Olivia looked down at the floor of the elevator.

Dante frowned and placed his hand under Olivia's chin. He moved her face so that she was looking at him again.

Olivia was silent still as she stared into Dante's eyes.

Dante moved forward to capture her lips with his when the elevator gave a sudden jolt, knocking them both out of their positions and Olivia onto Dante's lap.

The doors to the elevator opened and Fin was standing there with an eyebrow raised up at the scene.

"Uh.." Olivia said a bit red in the face. "This is embarrassing..."

Fin shook his head slightly as both men helped Olivia to get back onto her feet.

"For about the third time in the past ten minutes," Dante started. "You okay? That was a nice fall."

Olivia nodded slightly. "I need to go home."

Dante shrugged to Fin. They seemed to have a silent conversation meaning they needed to talk later before Dante followed Olivia out the doors of the precinct where she was trying to grab a cab. Fat chance at three in the morning though.

"I'll give you a ride home," he offered.

Olivia glanced over at Dante.

"No thanks."

"Come on, I'm going to the same place anyway."

Olivia shook her head slightly.

"Not exactly," she replied.

Dante raised an eyebrow up at her in curiosity of her statement.

Olivia shrugged. "That's not where I'm going."

"Is it on the way?"

Olivia thought about that in silence.

"I take that as a yes," he replied with a slight smirk.

He handed the second helmet over to her.

Olivia took the helmet after a moment of silence. She got on the bike behind him and held on before giving him the directions of where to go.

&&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia stood silently at the doors of the apartment building. She finally hit the buzzer and waited for the voice to come through it a bit impatiently.

A few moments of silence..

"Yeah..?" came the tired voice.

"Elliot?" Olivia asked quietly. "Can I come up?"

&&&&&&&&&&&&

**Hmm.. Wonder what happened there eh? Guess we'll just have to find out in the next chapter. Hope you guys liked this chapter. It was really just some middle writing. But there's going to be more next chapter, I promise.**

**Sorry for taking a while. I had a pretty rotten week and things are finally looking a little better so I thought I should update now that I'm feeling good and have had a chance to. Considering the alerts system went down... again. -Kay**


	8. From Nightmare to Reality

**A/N**: So yeah. Dedication time.

It's all for Freestyler9125.

**Chapter 8**:

"_Elliot?" Olivia asked quietly. "Can I come up?"_

Elliot stared at the buzzer of his apartment with a look of confusion. Why would Olivia be at his apartment so late into the night? Something must be wrong. It was rare for either of them to go to the other one's apartment let alone admit to the other they had a problem. He realized quickly that he still hadn't said anything. And quickly he hit the button to buzz her inside the building.

He rubbed the tired from his eyes before opening up his apartment door and waiting in the doorway for her to get there. He hoped to the high heavens that she wasn't hurt of something of that sort.

Olivia got off the elevator and saw Elliot waiting in his doorway from the end of the hall. Now there was no turning back. She needed to talk to somebody and for some reason, instead of Casey she chose Elliot.

Elliot could tell almost immediately. Olivia hadn't slept much lately. And she definitely hadn't gone to sleep yet tonight. He hated seeing her so miserable.

"Are you alright?" he asked almost immediately when she got to his door.

Truthfully? Olivia wasn't even sure. She'd come to him. But she wasn't sure if she actually wanted help or if she just wanted to be near him. She'd always had feelings for him. But they were finally enveloping her with her lack of sleep.

"I'm.." she started. "I'm really not sure if I am or not.." she finally answered quietly in response.

Elliot moved out of the doorway to let Olivia inside. He was worried about her, and he felt like he had every reason to be worried.

"Did you want to talk about it?" he asked as she came in.

Olivia sat down on the couch. She was silent for a few minutes as she debated whether or not to talk about what was bothering her. She felt Elliot take a seat beside her and leave only a small space between them on the couch.

"It's just.." Olivia started quietly. "Not knowing when this guy is going to come after me again really gets to me El," she explained. "It's like I've been thrown off balance. I don't even feel comfortable going home by myself anymore."

Elliot was surprised by how open Olivia had suddenly become. But he was thankful that she was. He felt bad for not knowing how much this had been effecting her the past couple of weeks.

What Olivia did next was even more surprising though. She laid her head down on his shoulder. Almost automatically he put his arm around her shoulder as though it happened to be something they did all the time.

"Just stay with me until we catch this guy then," Elliot suggested.

Neither of them were used to these type of things with each other. For some reason it didn't seem awkward for him to make that suggestion though. He preferred having her at his home anyway. That way he would know without a doubt that she was perfectly fine every night.

Olivia was silent as she thought about what Elliot had told her to do. She wanted to accept his invitation to stay more then anything in the world. But she was afraid that if she did then she wouldn't want to leave when it was all over and done with.

"I'm not going to let you sit up all night by yourself in your apartment, worrying about whether or not that man is still out there," he told her. "You're too important to me for me to want to risk your health like that. Or your life."

Olivia glanced at him with her eyes. Had he really just said that she was important to him? She smiled a little now and gave him a slight nod as her answer.

Elliot smiled down at her. He was glad that she did agree because now he would be able to worry less at night knowing she would be in just the other room.

"Want something to drink?" he asked.

Olivia nodded slightly and sat up a bit so that Elliot could stand up. As soon as he was up she leaned back against the couch. She closed her eyes and waited for him to come back with her drink.

Elliot came back in with a glass of water and smirked a bit at the sight he saw. Olivia had fallen asleep almost immediately after he left. He pulled her into his arms carefully so not to wake her and made his way to the bedroom with her. She might as well be comfortable in her attempt to get a good night of rest.

He laid her down in the bed and put the covers over her before leaving his bedroom and heading back down the hall to the living room. He stretched out on the couch and fell asleep almost immediately.

&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia opened her eyes. Almost immediately a hand covered her mouth to keep her quiet. She let out a few muffled attempts at some screams for Elliot. But she could tell it was hardly loud enough for him to hear all the way out in the living room. Gregory Miller was standing above her with a knife in his hand. She was squirming as much as she could in an attempt to pull away. It was obvious to her what he wanted to do with that knife. And it didn't include buttering the toast.

Elliot shot up from his position on the couch. He heard noises coming from his bedroom and he was on his feet immediately. He ran quickly to the room and pushed open the door. Olivia was squirming in the bed and making muffled screams against an invisible assailant. He took a seat beside her on the bed. He'd never seen anything like this before and he was more then a little worry about her. He shook her in an attempt to wake her up.

"Liv sh..." he said in an attempt to calm her down.

But a look of pain had suddenly crossed her face as she struggled. He shook her a little more roughly now and that seemed to wake her up. The one thing that didn't changed was the pained expression on her face.

"It's okay Liv," he told her as he sat down on the bed beside her. "It was just a nightmare."

Olivia shook her head, the pained look never quite leaving her face as she struggled to pull the covers away. Finally she got them off from over her stomach.

Elliot's eyes widened instantly. Olivia was bleeding from a stab wound on her stomach.

"Jesus," Elliot mumbled. "Hold on tight Liv, I'm gonna bring you to the hospital."

He grabbed the sheet from the bed and wrapped it tightly against the stab wound. He had no idea what was going on with Olivia, but she definitely needed some sort of medical attention. He picked her up in his arms and quickly made his way down the hallway, grabbing his car keys and his cell phone along the way.

Gregory Miller simply smiled from the closet in Elliot's room. The stupid guy. He never even thought to check if anyone was actually there.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Cragen stepped into the crowded hospital. Elliot had called him and had started going on about Olivia having a stab wound even though she'd been fast asleep with nobody except for him and her in the apartment.

"Elliot," he said as he finally found his detective amidst all of the people throughout the waiting room. "How is she doing?"

Elliot glanced up at his captain from where he was sitting. He stood up in a slightly respectful manner. Most of the detectives did this, even when they weren't on the job. Their captain simply deserved it. Enough said.

"They haven't told me anything yet," he explained to his captain. "It just doesn't make sense Cap," he told him. "She was fine when she came over, and she was sleeping alone in the room. None of it makes sense."

Cragen had to agree. Something was definitely wrong with what went on in Elliot's apartment. He knew Elliot had nothing to do with Olivia's injury simply because Elliot would never put his hand on a woman let alone Olivia of all women.

Elliot sighed. How could something have happened to her when she was at his apartment? He was so sure that she'd be safe with him but she still got hurt. His eyes widened slightly after a moment.

"Cap.. send someone over to my apartment and tell them to check around my bedroom for something, anything," he told his captain quickly.

Cragen cocked an eyebrow up at his detective in a confused manner.

"What are you talking about?" he questioned.

Elliot silently chastised himself for not checking. He'd been so worried about Olivia that he'd never even thought twice about checking to see if someone was in his apartment. The only thing that didn't make sense was the fact that if someone was there. Why didn't they attack him as well?

"When I found Olivia, I never checked to see if someone was in the apartment," he explained to his captain in a rushed tone. "I just assumed. I mean, if he was there, why didn't he attack me?"

Cragen understood the reasoning. He was worried about Olivia, and he'd assumed that the person had gone because he hadn't attacked Elliot as well. It was a fair assumption in Elliot's case. It was more important to be worrying about getting Olivia medical attention then seeing if someone was hiding around.

"We'll see to it that your apartment gets checked immediately Detective Stabler."

Elliot glanced over at the man who had spoken two him. There were two men. One was tall and heavy set, the other was average height and weight.

"Who the hell are you?" Elliot asked them both.

"I'm Detective Hoven, and this is Detective Pryce," the taller man said. "We're going to need you to come with us Detective Stabler."

Cragen quickly stepped between his detective and the other two.

He frowned. "And just what is this about?"

"We just need to talk to him," Pryce said.

Cragen shook his head. "I'm his captain, and you'll do whatever talking that you need to do with me present," he told them firmly.

Elliot was thankful to his captain. But he got the feeling these two men weren't just here to talk to him. That was a line that he and Olivia had used on suspects more then enough times for him to get the meaning behind their words.

"You think that I did this to her?" he asked them.

Cragen knew that they had thought that as well. But he'd be damned if he was going to allow them to arrest his best detective for something he clearly didn't do.

Hoven shrugged. "Sir, we just need to ask you a few questions and that's all."

"You're not going to ask him anything, and I'll be damned if you're going to accuse him of anything either," Cragen stated to them. "You can ask anyone, Elliot would never lay a hand on a woman, and he would never, _ever_, attack Olivia."

Pryce and Hoven looked at each other.

"We know that," Pryce stated. "We honestly just need to ask him questions. It's just so the boss knows we're doing our job."

Hoven nodded. "We aren't arresting Detective Stabler, we just need to know what happened."

Elliot glanced over at his captain before sighing. He turned back to the two detectives.

"We can talk here. I'm not leaving until I know that my partner is alright."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

**So yep. That's the chapter. We can blame Freestyler for this taking so long. She wouldn't shut up :P sheesh woman! LOL!**

**Just kidding. Anyways, hope you enjoyed!**

**-Kay**


	9. Crossing the Fault Line

**Author's Note**: I apologize for my lousy updating.. this week has been particularly rough because I had a death in the family..

Dedicated to Color Esperanza.

**Chapter 9**: Crossing the Fault Line

The two detectives had kept their word and only asked Elliot questions about what had happened and now they were simply waiting for the doctors to finish with Olivia so that they could question her and hopefully exonerate Elliot in a legal sense and not in their own mental sense.

Cragen sat beside Elliot now. One question had been on his mind since he had been told about Olivia and now he finally wanted to ask it.

"Why did she come to your apartment in the first place?" Cragen asked as he glanced over at Elliot.

Elliot looked over at his captain with a slight frown on his face. He sighed and leaned back in his seat.

"She told me that she was afraid to go back to her house by herself," he told his captain. "She said that she didn't like not knowing when or if Miller was ever going to come back after her or not."

Cragen sighed slightly. He should have known by the way that she'd been acting lately that something was very off with her. But he, like everyone else, had ignored it because she wouldn't say anything about it even if they had bothered to ask her. Everyone knows that the only time Olivia is going to tell you what's wrong is on her terms, when decides that she can't hold it all in any longer.

"She's afraid of Miller," Cragen stated thoughtfully. "I wish she'd just tell us these things instead of holding it all in with the fear that we're going to judge her."

Elliot nodded in response. He was about to say something else to his captain when the doctor came out and managed to speak before they even knew he was there.

"For Olivia Benson," the doctor said and looked around.

He should have guessed who he'd see there waiting for Olivia.

Elliot stood up alongside his captain.

"That's us," he stated in response. "How is she doing?"

The doctor glanced between Elliot and the other man. He recognized Elliot, but not the man with him.

"She's going to be just fine Detective," the doctor stated. "The stab wound wasn't deep, but it did require a few stitches," he explained. "She's insistent on leaving, but someone should really make sure that she rests so that she can heal properly."

Elliot nodded slightly.

He sighed. "Can I go in to see her?" he asked the doctor.

"Just as soon as the two detectives get out," he told the two of them. "I wanted to let you in first, but they were insistent about getting in to talk to her before you."

Elliot and Cragen glanced at each other and rolled their eyes simultaneously.

"Anything you can do?" Cragen asked the man.

The doctor seemed to be thinking. He knew Olivia had been specifically asking to see Elliot before the detectives insisted about going in first. He figured he might as well do two of New York's finest a small favor.

"I'll see what I can do about getting rid of them," the doctor said. "Give me a few minutes to be rid of them and then I'll come out here and get you once they've gone."

Elliot nodded. He and Cragen were certainly grateful to the doctor for what he was doing for them.

He smiled a bit. "You have no idea how thankful I- - we are."

The doctor smiled knowingly before going out of the waiting room and back to where he knew Olivia would be with the two detectives.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia glanced between the two detectives. The two actually had the balls to ask her if it had been Elliot who had stabbed her while she was in bed. She was having a hard time believing they could honestly think Elliot would hurt her. They were partners. These two should have been able to understand the trust between two partners. She was now ignoring the fact that her doctor was at the door.

"Clearly," she stated. " You two have no real clue the meaning of the word 'partners'," she told them coyly. "Because if you did, then you wouldn't even bother considering things like that let alone actually asking me the question."

They both glanced at each other. They hated this part of their job.

Pryce spoke up. "Look," he said. "It's not unusual for women to be afraid to admit when a man that's close to them has been hurting them."

Olivia seemed genuinely insulted by what Detective Pryce had just said to her. He was seriously mistaken if he thought he could say something like that and away with it without making her angry.

"Tell me _Detective _Pryce," she started. "Do you honestly believe that bullshit coming out of that mouth of yours?" Olivia asked him. "You have some nerve coming in her with the thought that Elliot would ever do something that would hurt me either physically or emotionally."

Hoven raised an eyebrow up in response.

"What about that fight that caused you to leave and go to the Computer Crimes Unit?" Hoven asked.

Olivia froze up.

"I was in your precinct that day," Hoven told her. "Stabler said that it was your fault that the little boy died that day if I remember correctly."

Pryce stared at his partner in shock. He had gone too far with that statement and bring back something like that for her to remember. And he didn't even seem to care about what effect it seemed to have on the woman. He was actually proud of himself for it.

Hoven shrugged at his partner.

Olivia glared at Hoven as though he had been the man to stab her or hurt somebody. She refused to put up with an asshole like him.

"You son of a bitch," she said angrily. "You had no right to even mention that."

"Detectives," the doctor said, finally speaking up. "Miss Benson needs her rest and I believe that the two of you aren't really helping her to do that," he told them. "I'm going to have to tell you both to leave, and my suggestion is to not come back until you can ask her questions that won't offend her or upset her."

Pryce and Hoven glanced over at the doctor.

Hoven looked angry.

"And you can't tell us when we can or cannot conduct our investigations," Hoven stated to the doctor.

The doctor groaned. "I most certainly can," he told Hoven. "Especially when your so-called investigation is effecting my patient."

Pryce sighed and he knew the doctor was right. Hoven was taking things too far. He pulled his partner out the door and neither of them spoke another word as they left. He was relieved.

Hoven still seemed angry.

Olivia was surprised by her doctor's actions. She hadn't expected them to send the detectives away like he had. She was about the question what he did when he began talking first.

"Detective Stabler wanted to speak to you," he told her. "Is that okay with you?"

Olivia smiled a little in realization. She gave Doctor Talty a nod in response and watched him walk out to go get Elliot. She sighed slightly and leaned back on the hospital bed. She'd kept what happened during the Gitano case in the back of hr head and tried her best to forget it for so long. But after what Detective Hoven said to her, it wouldn't seem to leave her mind again.

"Olivia?"

Olivia jumped slightly in response. She had spaced out and nearly forgotten that Elliot was going to be coming in. She smiled a little at him in the doorway.

Elliot smiled back at her and walked further into the room. He took a seat in the chair beside her bed. He could tell almost immediately that something was bothering her.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he studied the expression that was on her face at the moment.

Olivia seemed a little surprised by the question. She hadn't realized that she was being so obvious about the way she'd been feeling about the situation that had gone on between herself, Hoven and Pryce just moments earlier.

She sighed. "They really think that it was you who attacked me."

Elliot started at her with a look of confusion. He wasn't sure why that would honestly bother her so much. The two men had seemed nice enough that they believed he hadn't done it.

"They're just doing their job, Liv," he replied, not knowing full well what had just gone on in the room before he had come in.

Olivia seemed annoyed again. He really wasn't understanding what it was that she was trying to tell him about the detective's so-called 'investigation'.

"You don't get it," she seethed out. "Their job isn't to make me out to be some woman whose afraid to admit that her partner has been beating her up!"

Elliot's faced dropped in realization that the two men had straight out lied. He got the feeling now that if the captain hadn't been there when he was, then he probably would be sitting in an interrogation room being made out as Olivia's perp.

"What did they say?"

Olivia was silent in response to that. She really didn't want to bring the subject up to him. It was something that they hadn't talked about since the first time she'd left for Computer Crimes.

Elliot could instantly see that whatever the detectives had said to her was bothering her still.

"Liv," he said, taking her hand into his. "Just tell me what they said to you."

"They said," Olivia started. She sighed, "They brought up the Gitano case," she stated quietly.

Elliot seemed genuinely confused at first.

"Hoven was at the precinct when.."

That was all Elliot needed. He understood exactly why Olivia was so upset with the two detectives now and why it was still bothering her. He felt horrible for the things that he had said to Olivia during the Gitano case. He'd spent so much time trying to push her away because of the way he had started to feel about her that he hadn't thought about the consequences that might occur with his actions.

Olivia watched as Elliot appeared to be debating his next grouping of words carefully. She was thankful and didn't really blame him for that. So much had been said that day as emotions had been running excruciatingly high. She knew as well as anyone that Elliot had simply been upset with his choice to choose her over the life of the little boy. Hell. She was still angry with herself for allowing herself to get close enough to Gitano that he was able to slit her neck and get centimeters from killing her.

"Are you okay?" Elliot finally asked.

"It really was my fault that day," Olivia stated quietly to him. "I was the one who got Ryan killed that day.."

Elliot stared at Olivia in shock. How could she honestly believe that after all of this time? He gave her hand a small squeeze.

"Listen to me Olivia," he started. "Nothing that happened that day was anyone's except for Gitano's fault, especially not Ryan's death," he explained.

Olivia nodded a little and a small smile grew on her lips.

"Am I allowed to go home yet?" she asked him.

Elliot chuckled slightly. He could tell that she mainly just wanted to get off of the subject of the Gitano case.

Doctor Talty walked in the room with a knowing smile on his face. He'd managed to catch some of the conversation by accident and couldn't help but answer the asked question.

"You are allowed to go home Detective Benson," Doctor Talty told her. "But I'm highly suggesting that you stay with someone or have somebody stay with you," he said. "Moving around too much while you have those stitches isn't exactly the brightest idea in the world."

Elliot smirked as he watched Olivia roll her eyes in response to the doctor's suggestion. He then chuckled at the annoyed look that crossed her face as she noticed his amusement at her reaction.

"Sure sir," Olivia replied after a noted moment of silence.

Doctor Talty nodded and smiled.

"Then I'll go get your release papers ready."

"You're still stuck with me, so I wouldn't be laughing if I were you, El," Olivia stated with a grin.

Elliot laughed again. "Who says I'm going to complain?"

That made Olivia smile. Of course he wasn't going to complain about her staying with him. Elliot was too good of a partner to do something like that. She was freaked out about what happened to say the least, nothing was going to change that. But if she hadn't been at Elliot's, she had the strange sense that she may not have made it out alive from this situation.

Elliot chuckled again.

Olivia raised an eyebrow up in response to Elliot's sudden amusement.

"Sorry," he replied. "I just realized that I hadn't even asked you if you were feeling okay yet."

Olivia laughed in response to Elliot's statement. Truthfully, she hadn't even noticed that he hadn't asked her. But she was definitely amused that he hadn't done so since he normally did even with the smallest of injuries.

"Don't worry," she stated. "I'm feeling just fine, a little like I've been stabbed," she joked. "But other than that.."

Elliot laughed and rolled his eyes. At least she hadn't lost her sense of humor after what had happened. And he loved her for it.

Wait.. he thought to himself. Loved? When did that happen?

&&&&&&&&&&&&

**Yep. That's the end of this chapter. I'll try and write more soon. No promises though. Like I said. It's been a really rough week. But I hope you liked the chapter!**

**-Kay**


	10. The Man or the Myth?

**Author's Note**: Ok.. so. Long time, no update. I'm so completely sorry. I had no internet for three weeks. Is that horrid or what? Well, I have it now. So here's your update.

Dedicated to Freestyler9125.

**Chapter 10**: The Man or the Myth?

Olivia pulled her hospital gown off in the privacy of her hospital room. Casey had brought her some clothes during the break between her trials, and now Elliot was talking to their captain in the waiting room. She pulled on a pair of jeans and was about to pull on her shirt when she caught a glimpse of the stab wound.

"You feeling okay?"

The voice startled Olivia and caused her to jump in response. She knew who it was, she just hadn't been expecting him to show up. She didn't quite have her shirt on, so instead she held it over her chest in a sorry attempt at covering herself up.

She smiled a little. "I feel fine, but what are you doing here?"

Dante raised an eyebrow up in response. He chuckled a little at her reaction to him being there. He smiled and moved closer to her so that he was directly in front of her.

Olivia couldn't quite help the blush that crept up onto her face. This was embarrassing. She was shirtless and Dante was practically right on top of her.

"This is why," Dante whispered to her.

He smiled and gently placed a kiss on her neck and slowly worked his way to her mouth.

"Ahem.."

Olivia jumped away in an instant when she heard the noise. She kept her front covered with her shirt and glanced at her doctor in the doorway of her room. She was embarrassed again. But how could she not be? She'd just been caught in a _very_ weak moment with Dante and she still hadn't gotten the chance to put her shirt on. She quickly sidestepped into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

Doctor Talty raised an eyebrow up in response to Olivia's actions, though he supposed he understood the embarrassment.

Dante chuckled.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia pulled her shirt on and then ran her fingers through her hair. She had no idea why it is that she gets so nervous around Dante, but she supposed it just happened to be one of those things that comes with a sexual attraction. She sighed. How could her mind be stuck on how she felt about Elliot, and then suddenly Dante walks in and it all just goes away. And now here she was thinking about Elliot again.

She took a deep breath and opened the door to the bathroom. She no longer saw her doctor in the room, but Dante was still there, now holding a couple of papers.

"So.." Dante started. "You're not staying on your own."

Olivia was confused. He was acting as though nothing had just happened between them. This guy had serious issues when it came to women.

"Is this just the way you do things then?" Olivia questioned. She continued after seeing the confused look on his face. "Just kiss and then pretend like it never happened?"

Dante smiled.

"You're the one who ran into the bathroom," he replied. "If I remember correctly," he added in with a slight smirk on his face. "And trust me.. I remember."

"That really wasn't the point.." Olivia mumbled.

Dante chuckled. "Alright then."

He placed his hand behind her head and pulled her towards him, meeting her lips with his.

Olivia struggled against him for a moment in surprise before actually giving in to the kiss.

Elliot glanced into the room in time to see Olivia pulling away from Dante with an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry.." she stated softly. "But.."

"But you already have somebody else in mind," Dante finished the statement for her.

Olivia seemed surprised by the fact that Dante knew that. Although he did tend to notice more things then most people did. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.

"I suppose I do.." she replied after a few moments.

Dante smiled and leaned against the wall with his arms folded.

"Have you told him yet?" he asked her.

Olivia rose and eyebrow up at his question. She'd never get the guts to do something so straight-forward as that.

Another chuckle escaped Dante's lips. "I'm gonna take the silence as a no, but why not?"

"More trouble then it's worth I suppose," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

"How is it trouble?"

Olivia was silent in response. She couldn't believe she'd even been answering him up to this point.

Dante sighed. "Is it because he's your partner, your best friend, or because he's both?"

To say Olivia was surprised would be the understatement of the century in this case. Her eyes cast downward at the ground as though she were embarrassed. Although she wasn't quite sure yet if it was embarrassment, or shame.

"Why in the world are you so adamant about keeping yourself out of love?" Dante asked finally.

Elliot knew now was the time to walk away or go in before he was noticed. Strangely, now he felt himself actually being trusting of Dante and wondering about his feeling for Olivia as he walked away to the soda machine.

Olivia glanced at Dante in slight surprise, and annoyance.

"And why are you so adamant about talking about this subject?" she shot back at him.

Dante chuckled. "And now you're evading the question," he stated with a smile. "Listen Olivia, if you do care about him, then you should tell him," he told her. "No one in their right mind wouldn't love you back."

Olivia was silent, her mouth left slightly agape at Dante's comment.

Dante smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek before exiting the room. He'd noticed Elliot listening for a few moments, and truthfully he had no idea how long the other man had been there, but he decided that he needed to say something to him as well, so he walked over to Elliot at the soda machine.

"Maybe you need to tell her how you feel first," he stated, making is presence known to the detective.

Elliot glanced up from what he was doing and towards Dante. He hadn't expected Dante to come and talk to him about his as well, that was for sure.

Another chuckled escaped Dante's lips. "You're afraid to tell her too," he stated. "You two won't get very far if you can't even make it passed step one."

"If you really need to know," Elliot began. "Step one is more her problem then it is mine, I tried and she just pushed me away."

The surprise was evident on Dante's face at what Elliot had just admitted to him. Olivia really was keen on pushing people away when they tried to get close to her, he just wished that he could understand why.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia heard what Elliot said from the doorway of her. She bit down slightly on her lower lip before letting a sigh escape her lips. She seriously needed to get her act together, but she couldn't take the chance of screwing up other peoples lives with all of her messed up problems. She glanced at her discharge papers, signed them, and grabbed her bag before sneaking out of the hospital room.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot grabbed his soda from the machine before walking back to Olivia's hospital room.

"Oh, Detective Stabler," Doctor Talty said as he was from the room. "Olivia left."

Surprise was now evident on Elliot's face.

"She what?"

"Left.." the doctor replied. "She signed her discharge papers and left with her bag, I just assumed you were meeting her somewhere."

Elliot's mouth opened in slight shock. Olivia must have been listening to him and Dante talk, or else she never would have just left like she did.

Dante walked over to Elliot.

"Let me talk to her," Dante told Elliot before also leaving the hospital.

Elliot sighed and left as well. He'd just have to wait to hear from either Dante or Olivia.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Dante stepped up to Olivia's apartment door. He made an attempt at knocking on it, but it swung open instead. This wasn't good. There was no way.

He stepped inside, keeping his right hand over the gun on his belt.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot stepped up to the door of his apartment building. Before he actually opened it, his hands were being pulled behind his back and cuffed though.

"Detective Stabler, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of your partner, Detective Olivia Benson."

Elliot wasn't sure if he was more shocked or angry.

"What the hell is wrong with you two, are you insane?!" he yelled out at Pryce and Hoven. "You assholes know I had nothing to do with it!"

Kathy stared in shock from where she was standing at her car door alongside Maureen and both looked disturbed on more then one level.

Almost immediately Kathy was dialing Cragen's phone at the precinct. A few moments later, he picked up.

"Cragen."

"Don.. it's Kathy."

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Dante glanced around Olivia's apartment. He didn't see her, nor did he hear anything. A noise from the bathroom caught his attention. It sounded like something dropped. He was about to answer the door when it opened, catching him a bit off guard when all he saw was Olivia standing in front of him in a towel.

The confusion was clear on Olivia's facial expression.

This time Dante turned a little red in the face.

"I think you're making a habit of this," Olivia stated, not entirely surprised at seeing him there, but not sounding entirely too enthusiastic about it.

Dante finally gained back some of his morality after the taking in the sight before him.

"Making a habit of what?" he asked.

Olivia chuckled, brushing past him. "Of finding me half-naked."

Dante smirked. "But I enjoy that habit too much to break it now."

Olivia turned and leaned her back against the hallway wall as she glanced at Dante. She rolled her eyes slightly at his corny statement but smiled nonetheless.

"What are you doing here?" she questioned after a moment.

"I uh.." Dante tried to get out, but first he took his eyes off her still wet, and only covered by a towel, body. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

There was another awkward moment of silence between them both now. A loud noise from the next apartment over of breaking glass caused both of them to jump out of their skins. Or in Olivia's case, drop her towel. A 'FUCK... DAMN!' was heard by the man in the next apartment.

Olivia turned bright red when she realized what had just happened with her towel. Before she had the chance to go for it, Dante was bending to get it, and now she found herself looking everywhere but down at him.

Dante stood to give her the towel to wrap around herself once more before stopping. He couldn't stop himself from looking, that was mission impossible for any person in his position.

Olivia's eyes finally found Dante's and she couldn't stop herself either. She pressed her lips against his.

Dante admitted, he knew it was a horrible idea. But not even morals could manage to stop him now that it had already begun. He backed her back up against the wall, returning the kiss full-on as he pinned her arms up against the wall over her head.

Olivia whimpered slightly. She supposed it was more out of need then anything else, but this was wrong beyond all reasoning. She wrapped her one leg around his though, somehow attempting to pull Dante closer to her.

Another noise.

Dante let go of Olivia and looked towards her bedroom. He shoved the towel in her direction before slowly taking some steps towards the bedroom.

Olivia was directly behind him. The ringing of her house phone from the living room caused them both to jump.

Dante motioned for Olivia to go answer it. "I'll check your room, it was probably nothing.." he whispered.

Olivia nodded and silently made her way to the living room.

"Hello?" Olivia answered into the phone.

To say she probably sounded flustered over the phone was an understatement.

"Olivia, it's Kathy."

The worry hit Olivia immediately. Kathy would only call her at home if something were seriously wrong with Elliot, or something else on that level.

"Kathy, what's wrong?" she asked almost immediately.

"Are you serious? I can't believe you'd even think that Elliot was the one who would try to kill you Olivia!"

Shock registered over Olivia's features.

"I would never think that!" she replied quickly.

"You filed charges against him for it."

Olivia was angry to say the least. "That bastard! Hoven did this!" she said angrily.

Kathy understood now. Olivia never filed those charges.

Olivia went to turn around, feeling like someone was behind her. She made the assumption that it was Dante, but something sharp entered her side, causing her to drop the phone, letting a screech of immediate pain follow.

"Olivia?!" Kathy yelled over the phone. "Olivia!!"

But the line went dead.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

**So.. I wrote this.. today. Was it good? Bad? I'll try to improve on the next chapter. I'm working on the next chapter of Sweet Revenge now though! I'm so sorry about my erratic updating. It should be back to normal now that my internet is up and working again though.**

**-Kay**


	11. The 'Perfect' Family Life

**Author's Note**: Was this quick enough? I'm going to update Sweet Revenge AFTER I finish this story. I can't do that multi-tasking shit, I'm not good at it and I think that's obvious.

**_Major_** **dedications.**

**Cold Case Chick** – You're always way too good at helping my inspiration. And I'll be damned, you and SVU101 really helped this new line in the story work itself out.

**SVU101** – Jesus. Girl, you helped the twist. No.. you MADE the twist., I simply switched around a few of the facts in it and gave the twist a good reason for being the twist. Good mind woman. Good mind.

**Chapter 11**: The Perfect Family Life

Fin entered Olivia's apartment first. Cragen and John weren't far behind him. The first thing in his immediate sight was the crushed phone lying the on floor. Clearly this was the spot where Olivia had been attacked when on the phone with Kathy.

It was eerily silent in the apartment. The towel by the phone caught Cragen's attention even more though. It brought him to the idea to start checking towards the bedroom. Who knows what was on this guys mind if he attacked Olivia while she was in a towel?

Once more, Fin led the way down the hallway. A body in the doorway of the bedroom caught their attention though. Fin recognized the person almost immediately. It was Dante. He guessed it wasn't too odd that Dante had came to check on Olivia, after all, he was staying with his sister just two doors down. He checked the bedroom before kneeling down towards Dante

He'd never seen somebody get the best of Dante before. Dante had skills that made no sense to have altogether. But he usually found it best not to ask questions. At least, not until someone manages to overpower even Dante, the man, the myth and the legend.

"He's out cold," Fin stated as he looked to his Captain and John who were coming out of different rooms that they were checking.

Cragen nodded. "At least he's alive, that means he'll be able to tell us something of what happened here when he gets up."

John sighed. "What the hell do we tell Elliot?" he asked them. "Do we go, 'Hey Stabler, you're free to go, it's clear you didn't do this because someone else just kidnapped her'?"

"Not us," Fin stated in an angry tone of voice. "That's a job for those two assholes who are arrest happy, they're gonna get shit for this."

They all looked down as they heard a groan come from Dante on the floor.

"You okay man?" Fin asked as he looked down at Dante.

Dante sat up quickly. The whole night came flooding back into his head. He had Olivia up against the wall, a noise. He had gone to check it out in the bedroom. But before he had time to do anything, when he reached his arm through the door, it was slammed shut on it, and then he felt cold metal knock him in the head. It was darkness after that. But serious pain in his arm.

"Jesus.. son of a bitch," Dante muttered out as he cradled his arm with the other. "Where's Olivia?" he asked, ignoring the looks he got from his outburst of curses towards the lord.

"She's not here," Cragen stated for them all. "And I get the feeling we're lucky that Miller even left you alive."

Dante looked around at the group of men in the small area. One was missing.

"Where's Elliot?" he asked, trying to ignore the major pain coming from his arm.

John rolled his eyes. "Dumb and Dumber arrested him for Olivia's attack, go figure."

Fin finally caught what Dante was trying to ignore. It was becoming pretty clear that his arm was causing some major agitation by the way Dante was trying anything except for admitting that he needed some kind of medical help for his arm. The sleeve of the shirt was ripped clear off, and the bruising on the arm looked downright horrific.

"What the hell happened to that arm?" Fin asked after everyone was silent for a moment in their thoughts about Hoven and Pryce.

Dante didn't answer. He merely cast his green eyes in the direction of the bedroom door.

Fin looked. "Ouch.."

"Call for an ambulance.." Cragen stated. Before anything else was said, he spoke again. "And call for CSU, let's see what the hell we can find in here.."

Fin and John nodded.

"I'm going, I'm going to get Elliot out of the hands of those two idiots who think they can just arrest anyone to make a front-page headline," Cragen stated as he walked out.

It was clear to everyone in the room at the moment. Olivia was practically Cragen's child, and they all knew very well not to mess with family. Family was what made them a real squad and separated them from everyone else.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia sat up slowly, her hand over her forehead. She looked around at her surroundings. She had no idea where she was, but she got the feeling it wasn't going to be good. She'd been on the phone with Kathy, then she'd heard someone behind her. She merely assumed it would be Dante coming to give her the okay about the noise that interrupted their moment. But she'd been wrong. Whoever had been there had stuck a needle in her side. She'd never felt pain like that, it made her black out almost instantly.

Noise made her get off the bed she was on and remember what was going on instead of what had happened. Something from underneath her. Downstairs? Maybe. She looked down at herself. Fully dressed in black pants and a white t-shirt. That made her stomach do a full 360. Someone had dressed her? Now she was downright disturbed.

She ignored that too now. She made her way out the door of the bedroom. At least she knew she wasn't just locked into one room. That was good she guessed. Now she took the stairs. She moved slowly in hopes not to attract attention. But when she got the bottom she was even more confused. There was a little girl, maybe eight years old just sitting there in the living room, playing with a doll.

When Olivia looked closer, the unhappiness in the child's eyes hit her like a brick. She was about to take a step towards her when a hand grasped her arm. She looked in the person's direction and her stomach dropped. Miller was there, but the strange part was that he didn't look insane. He was looking at her like a man did his wife.

"I'm glad you're finally awake dear," Miller said to her with a smile. "Anna's been waiting for you to play with her, why don't you go play with her now?"

Confusion was the first thing on Olivia's mind. She wanted to get away from him, but there was something about that little girl's face that made her unable to do so just yet. She had to know what was going on. So she simply nodded numbly at Miller. She didn't know what else she could do.

Miller let go of Olivia's arm. He was surprised but not unhappy with the fact she didn't fight him on it. Maybe she was a fast learner. He went back to doing what he was working on, but he always had his eyes watching his new family. They would be perfect replacements.

Olivia glanced over at the little girl she now knew as Anna.

Anna was looking back at her with the same look of confusion and some distrust.

Olivia quietly made her way over to Anna and sat down near her.

"Is Anna your real name sweetheart?" Olivia asked the little girl quietly.

Anna nodded.

"My name's Olivia," she told Anna. "I'm gonna ask you a few more questions, but if you don't want to answer them, you don't have to, is that alright with you sweetie?"

Anna nodded once more. Maybe she could trust this woman.. she couldn't really decide just yet.

Olivia smiled at her. "Do you know the man that brought you here?"

Anna shook her head no.

"How old are you?" Olivia asked curiously.

She saw the girl just looking at her, and decided sometimes laughter could help make friendships with younger children. It was at least worth a shot if anything else.

"I'm thinking.. twenty.. maybe thirty."

Anna giggled. But she shook her head no.

Olivia faked a look of shock.

"You're not?!" she said in wonder. "Well.. if you're forty then you've got even me beat sweetie!"

Anna giggled again but shook her head once more.

"I'm nine silly!"

Olivia's hand covered her mouth, faking a look of amazement. She smiled at the little girl, glad that she'd gotten some trust out of Anna.

Miller's voice interrupted that small moment of happiness between the two though.

"Olivia, dear," Miller said in that sing-song voice a lover would. "I need your help in here, I'd like it if you came please."

Anna was silent. She expected Olivia to get up and leave, she didn't know Olivia was trapped here just like her. But she noticed Miller enter the room when Olivia hadn't answered him. Immediately she looked back down at her doll.

Olivia was silent as well as she watched the anger in Miller's face grow. She got the feeling by Anna's reaction to Miller, that doing what he said was a much better idea then trying to ignore him. So she stood up.

"Olivia," Miller said calmed as he walked up to her.

He grabbed her arm tightly, causing her to wince at the actual strength this guy had. He was acting like they were some big family. Dragging her to the other room so 'their' child couldn't see the big fight. But she could feel Anna's eyes following them until they were out of sight.

"When I call you, you come to me Olivia," Miller stated confidently. "As my wife, you are _my_ property and no one else's, no one can touch you Olivia, only I can be the one to caress the body under those clothes at night, do you understand my rules?"

Olivia gave an involuntary shudder to his words. She pulled her arm away and back away from him.

"You're sick, you think I'm just going to sit here and play house with you?!" she yelled back at him. "You think that after you've stalked me, tried to kill me, and then kidnapped me that I'm going to act like I'm your wife?!"

Miller only seemed enraged by Olivia's yelling. He grabbed both of her arms, shoving her back against the wall and pinning them both above her head.

"Is this how you like it then Olivia?" he asked viciously as he put his mouth next to her ear. "That's what that man was doing to you in your apartment, do you enjoy this?" he asked, his words seeping into her like venom.

Olivia went completely and utterly silent. A much as she did try to hide the fear she was feeling, it was inevitable that she was showing it. Even nine-year-old Anna, who could now see them in plain view could see the fear that swallowed Olivia all of the sudden.

That was it. Olivia knew her way to get him off of her. To get him to stop. Her eyes were on Anna the whole time.

"Not in front of her.." she whispered, it was almost too light for him to hear it. "Not in front of Anna.."

Miller looked over at Anna who was staring at him with a look that could be described only as a look of terror. He glanced back at Olivia before letting her arms drop back at her sides. Instead, he placed a small kiss on her cheek and ushered her back in Anna's direction.

"Just follow my directions from now on Olivia, dear, we'll be perfect again, don't worry."

&&&&&&&&&&&&

**Now tell me this guy isn't just freaking you out to the maximum right here? This story is about to take a turn people. A turn you'll have never expected or never seen if it hadn't been for ColdCaseChick and SVU101 helping to spark my creativity for this chapter. Thanks again you two. The next chapter probably won't take long either, in fact, I don't have to work today. So who knows? Maybe I can get some work done on it tonight and have it up by the end of the weekend :) Deal?**

**-Kay**


	12. To Kill or Not To Kill

**Author's Note**: How about this update? I'm getting the hang of things here :)

**_Dedications_**

**SVU101** – She still has another dedication. I mean come on, we can all thank her for helping to create the drama that is.. now.

**Freestyler9125 - **She helped me get my plans for this chapter started! Wooo.

**Chapter 12**: To Kill or Not To Kill

It had been a few days. Anna was getting used to seeing Olivia resist against Miller. She definitely looked up to Olivia as a hero for what she was doing. After all, if Miller got angry with her, Olivia would seem to divert the anger towards herself. Olivia was saving Anna from the reprimands, and the little girl was definitely thankful.

She looked up when she heard some noises coming from the other bedroom where Miller and Olivia were at night. She stood to her feet and walked over, glancing inside through the open door.

Miller was tugging at Olivia's clothing and it was clear that Olivia was trying to stop him from doing so.

"Stop it!" Anna yelled. "Leave her alone, she doesn't like you!"

Miller stopped and looked at Anna with a look of sheer annoyance. He was pissed. Not only was his wife unwilling, but his daughter was going with her. It was starting to feel like what really happened years ago. His perfect family was going to waste.

"Anna go," Olivia stated to the little girl. "Go back downstairs," she managed to tell her calmly.

Anna was about to speak again. But the look on Olivia's face told her to trust her. So she did, and she left the room, staying at the top of the stairs and looking inside the room.

Olivia watched Anna go, making the mistake of taking her eyes off of Miller as he managed to grab both of her arms and throw her onto the bed. There was no way she was going to let him do this to her. She'd managed to elude it for four days, he wasn't going to get her now.

Immediately Olivia kicked her foot up between Miller's legs, knocking him not only off of her, but clear off the bed as well. She got off the bed quickly and went for the bedroom door.

Miller was up quickly though. He followed Olivia out the bedroom door and grabbed her throwing her down. Only he made the mistake of throwing too hard, and instead Olivia's head made a sickening meet with the wall, merely leaving her limp on the hallway floor.

Anna gasped at the sight. She'd admit that she'd seen Miller slap Olivia, but never anything like this. Olivia wasn't moving. She scurried over to the woman she could see as her own mother, the woman who kept her safe. And she watched as Miller retreated back into the bedroom, simply leaving them there.

A few tears grew in Anna's green eyes as she pulled a blanket from her room and laid next to Olivia on the floor, pulling it over the both of them and staying close to her. Maybe they would be safe for now if Miller didn't come back out.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot, Fin and Munch all sat in the squad rooms. They were simply staring at the board and trying to ignore the inevitable. That they had no real clue how to find Miller.

Not only had Olivia been kidnapped that day. But the ambulance that had Dante in it had been run down. And now Dante was gone as well. Their only lead into what actually happened to Olivia had been with that man, and now they didn't even have that.

Elliot was taking it the hardest. It was after all, his partner who'd been taken. And maybe if he'd been there, this wouldn't have happened to Olivia. Even though it clearly wasn't his fault for not being able to be there, he still managed to blame himself in some way or another.

Adriana stepped into the squad room and over to Elliot Stabler. Her brother meant the world to her. She simply needed to know if there were any leads on where him and Olivia were. She knew that if there were, none of the three men of this squad would be sitting here so absent minded as they were at the moment, but that didn't stop her from feeling the need to find out.

Elliot looked up at Adriana. "I'm sorry.." he said, but that was all that really needed to be said.

"I know," Adriana replied. "Could I perhaps talk to you alone?"

Elliot nodded, putting down the pen that he had been twiddling in his fingers. He led her into one of the interrogation rooms and pulled out a chair for her to sit in, and then he sat in the other.

"You really love Olivia, don't you?" Adriana asked Elliot.

Elliot stared at Adriana. How in the world did everyone else figure this out before he did himself?

Adriana smiled. "She loves you too, I can tell," she stated. "Maybe you should tell her once you've gotten her back."

"Maybe.." Elliot replied.

Once he'd gotten her back? At least Adriana hadn't said if. Elliot was glad to know that at least someone other then himself was still feeling some optimism in finding Olivia.. and Dante. It was either that, or maybe no one wanted to think of how things would be if they couldn't find them, so it was more as though they had too.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia shifted slightly. She opened her eyes and the intense pounding in her head suddenly grew. Aside from the cold wooden floor underneath her, something else was different. There was a smaller body huddled up close to her under a child's blanket. The look on her face softened as she noticed Anna was asleep beside her. Her eyes glanced up at the wall. At that point it was clear to her exactly how hard she had hit the wall. A few blood stains were left there.

Now she was looking at Miller's door. Somehow she knew he was in there. But she also knew that in some form or way, he was always managing to watch hers and Anna's every move. So she picked the little girl up in her arms and stood up, but right then and there, she was face to face with Miller. She got the chills almost immediately. Where the hell had he come from?

"I'll put Anna in her room," Miller stated. "I left something downstairs for you."

Olivia watched as Miller took Anna from her and brought her into her bedroom. Her eyes glanced towards the stairs and she slowly made her way down them. She saw something.. no.. someone.. laying in the middle of the living room floor.

She edged her way towards whoever it was. When she got close enough, she could see instantly who it was. Dante was lying there. It was clear to her that he was unconscious. Without really thinking about it, she rubbed the spot where her head had hit the wall, she wasn't even sure how long ago that was, but she'd never forget it. It was as if she was scarred by that memory alone, simply because it could have had an alternate ending that was much less enjoyable.

It took a moment but she sat down beside Dante and pulled his head into her lap, trying to see what exactly had happened to him. She could see the bruises on his arm, and the bruise on his head. She traced it over with her finger, a frown on his head. If even Dante was stopped, how in the world was she ever going to get out of this hell that became her life overnight?

"I should have known."

Olivia looked up. She should have been surprised that Miller would kidnap Dante too, but for some reason, she wasn't. Nothing this man did seemed to surprise her any longer.

"I should have known that you'd never really be with me, Olivia," Miller said as he shook his head.

Miller smiled though. He pulled a knife from his pocket.

"But you can fix this for us Olivia," he told her. "You can fix this family of ours."

Olivia's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the knife. What exactly did Miller mean by fixing the family? Nothing this man ever did made sense. Not to her at least. It's possible that it did in his own twisted mind, but not in anyone else's.

Miller's eyes looked from the knife to Dante's body.

The intention was clear to Olivia then.

"All you have to do is take out the one thing, the one man that's tearing this family apart Olivia," Miller stated in a soothing tone. "His death, by your hands, will be what saves you and Anna."

Olivia almost choked on the very air she was breathing. Miller couldn't possibly be serious about this. He wanted her to kill Dante? Not only that, but with a knife. Miller had more then a few screws loose.

"You want me to murder him?" Olivia questioned. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Miller simply smiled as he moved to Olivia and stood next to her. He reached a hand to her hair and began playing with it between his fingers.

He laughed. "There's nothing wrong with me, my dear Olivia," he told her. "I just want to know that you're mine, and only mine, and that's why this man needs to die," he explained. "I've seen the way you've looked at each other. Such lust."

Olivia tried to ignore the bile she felt just by being near this man let alone feeling him do something so loving such as playing with her hair.

"I can't kill him.."

Miller sighed.

"Then I can do it for us, Olivia," he told her. "I'll get rid of him, just say the word, and we'll be perfect again, you'll be forever mine once again."

"I.." Olivia started. But how could she say it? "There's no need.." she stated. "You just have to let him go Gregory.. just let him go, and then we'll be perfect, and I'll forever be yours.. again."

Miller actually seemed to debate what Olivia had just told him. He knew there was no way that the statement was truthful. But he thought he'd give her a shot.

Olivia stared up at Miller, at the knife in his hand. She was almost afraid that Miller might use it on her for what she'd said to him. But he simply put the knife back in his pocket.

"Alright," Miller said.

Olivia looked stunned. That wasn't what she had been expecting. She then watched as he walked away from her side and knocked on the front door. It was odd, but she tried to pay no mind to at as she glanced back down at Dante. Everyone was getting hurt.. this had to end, even if that meant that she'd have to play wife to Gregory Miller.

The door opened and Olivia looked up. Detective Pryce came in. She was relieved at first, thinking she may have actually gotten some help. That was until Miller and him started chatting like buddies.

"I'd like you to take him away," Miller told Pryce.

He glanced over at the expression on Olivia's face. All he could do was sigh.

"But don't kill him."

Pryce rose an eyebrow up in response. That wasn't part of the plan. Was Miller changing the plans all of the sudden? Antonio Dante Valentino was supposed to die today. He shrugged it off and decided to ask later. He walked over to Olivia and pulled Dante from her arms, dragging the man out of the house. He stopped and smiled at Olivia before leaving.

"Good seeing you again Detective."

Olivia stared at the door which Pryce had left through with Dante. She closed her eyes and let her hands grip the rug beneath her as she looked down. How long would she and Anna be stuck with Miller?

She felt him sit down in front of her, but her surprise really came when Miller pulled her to him and embraced her. For a moment, she actually thought he did feel something towards her. She didn't return the embrace, but to keep her word that they were fixed, she didn't pull away either.

She'd find a way to get Anna and herself away from this. She just hoped that it was going to be sooner and not later.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

**I hope that update didn't take too long. Work caught me on my days off. Twice now. The jerks. They're really making it hard for me to update this story. But I swear I'll never stop until it's done! And then we'll get back to Sweet Revenge, because my schedule makes it nearly impossible to multi-task.**

**Thanks to everyone for the love and suppose for my sad excuses of updating. I'll get better at it. Promise.**

**-Kay**


	13. The Brink of Insanity

**Author's Note**: Alright. Anyone up for a speed update? I am.

**Dedication**: Kate Taylor. You rock my socks. Good luck with everything going on right now.

**Special Note**: This chapter is taking off DIRECTLY from the previous. So get ready.

**Chapter 13**: The Brink of Insanity

Olivia knew it wasn't a good idea. But this was probably the only chance she was going to get to save not only herself, but Anna as well. She moved her hand quickly and pulled the knife from Miller's pocket. This had to end, and it had to end now before it was too late.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Pryce sighed. He dumped Dante on the side of the yard. Who cared? His next job was to get Elliot and bring him here. Miller was insane. But the money.. the money was worth the insanity this man had.

He got in his car and drove back to the 16th precinct.

When he got inside the Special Victims Unit, he saw Elliot Stabler by himself. It was late after all, there was no reason for anyone to be there any longer. Except for the poor Uniform who got played into the deal simply because everyone was senior to him. To see a detective working a graveyard shift wasn't really normal.

"Detective Stabler?"

Elliot looked up at hearing his name called. It definitely wasn't someone he would have imagined, but he shrugged that off and simply stared at Pryce, waiting to hear what the other detective wanted.

Pryce put on his best look of.. 'trust me, I just want to help' and began what he needed to do for his next big pay off.

"I know you don't have a reason to trust me Stabler," Pryce said convincingly. "But I think I know where to find your partner, and I want to help get her back," he told him. "I know it's partly mine and Hoven's fault that she was taken, and I want to do everything I can to get her back safe."

Elliot stared at the other man. He had to say, admitting all of that took a lot of guts. Not many men could. But that didn't change that fact that he didn't trust Pryce. But was he willing to risk Olivia's life on the untrustworthiness of this man? Not even a little bit.

"Show me."

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia tried not to think as she stabbed the sharpened knife into Miller's side, and after pulling it out, hitting him in the head with the blunt end of it to knock him out. Now she had to get Anna. This was her one chance, her one opportunity to save Anna. She jumped when the front door opened. But to her relief it was Dante standing there, and not Pryce.

Dante looked at Olivia, then at Miller bleeding on the floor. He moved over to Olivia quickly to see if she was alright, and to get her out of here while they still had a chance.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, his voice, for once, was soft and caring.

Olivia nodded. "I have to get Anna," she told him. "It's a long story, but I can't leave her here," she explained rushed.

Dante nodded in response and followed her up the stairs to a room.

Olivia pushed the door open and found Anna sleeping soundly, cuddling close to a small teddy bear. She smiled slightly and took the little girl in her arms, keeping the blanket wrapped around her. She glanced at Dante and nodded, Anna was all she needed to go.

"Let's go then," he told her.

Dante led her quietly back down the stairs. But he froze at the bottom. Miller was nowhere to be seen from where they had left him. That meant only a few things. Miller was either gone, hiding, or waiting outside for them. Either way, he didn't like the options.

Olivia silently weighed the options in her own head. Where could Miller possibly be? But she realized something. Miller tended to be where you'd never expect. And that was the exact moment she felt the cold steel of the knife against her neck.

"I'd head back down to the living room, or I'll just be rid of my fornicating little wife now," Miller told Dante in a voice that he'd never used before.

Dante turned and looked behind him. He almost couldn't believe it. How did Miller manage that? He wasn't sure he'd ever seen the look of fear that was on Olivia's face, there before. But it was there now, which meant that whatever this man had been doing, he'd been doing a good job of it. So he did as told, not exactly willing to see Olivia's throat slit right in front of him.

Miller watched Dante go back downstairs. He sighed as he whispered into Olivia's ear.

"You lied.. you're going to regret that.." he told her. "I thought we'd make a good family, but you're just like she was.."

Miller slowly lead Olivia down the stairs, Anna still asleep in her arms.

Olivia was staring down at the little girl, pleading with her not to wake up from all of this. But she knew that it was going to happen, and it wouldn't take too much more. She was silent as she hugged the little girl closer to her. This wasn't going to end well for somebody here tonight.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot was in the passenger's seat as Pryce drove them towards the shore. He couldn't place why this all felt so off, but it did. But he let the feeling go as Pryce stopped the car a little ways from a house on the shore.

"Neighbors called," Pryce explained to Elliot. "They told me that this house used to belong to Patricia Miller, but she gave it to her son, Gregory," he said. "Recently Gregory started staying, and suddenly they saw a woman and a child inside as well, the woman fit Detective Benson's description, that's why I brought you with me."

Elliot nodded numbly. Would he finally find Olivia here? He certainly hoped so. Days without her and knowing she could be hurt was almost too much for him to bear.

"Have you gotten any backround on Miller?"

Pryce nodded.

"He was married with a nine-year-old girl about three years ago," Pryce told him. "But the wife appeared to have had an affair with another man, and that man committed a murder suicide of the wife, daughter and himself," he explained. "Basically, he left Miller without a family."

Elliot took a deep breath on that one. So what was Miller trying to do here? Recreate the family he once had? But then Dante's kidnapping didn't really make sense if that was the case.

Pryce glanced over at Elliot. At least the man was buying this whole charade. Now he just had to get him inside. He opened the car door and got out.

"What are you doing?" Elliot asked him.

Pryce rolled his eyes.

"I'm gonna see if I can see anyone inside, you coming?" Pryce asked in reply.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia flinched slightly as the cold metal of the tip of the knife actually did cut her. She wondered if Miller did it purposely, but by the way he was acting, he didn't know he'd done it. And she knew if he got less careless, she was going to wind up dead from this.

"Gregory.." she whispered in a vain attempt not to wake Anna up.

Miller looked down at Olivia and for a moment his eyes softened, and he pulled the knife a little more away from her neck when he realized that he had indeed cut her. No wonder she'd actually said something. The anger returned to his face again though, this wasn't the woman he loved anymore. She didn't love him.

Too much movement. Anna was waking up now and Olivia could tell. This was something this little girl didn't need to see. So she buried the girls face against her, trying to protect her from seeing what was going on.

Miller noticed the waking child as well. He pulled the knife away from Olivia and shoved her towards Dante. It was time to finish this once and for all. He grabbed the gun he'd been hiding at the small of his back. Olivia's gun.

Olivia felt Dante pull her behind him protectively almost immediately.

"Olivia.." Anna whispered sleepily. "What's going on?" the little girl questioned.

Olivia looked down at Anna, not allowing the little girl to look in Miller's direction. "It's okay sweetie.. it'll be fine," she whispered.

But Anna did catch a glimpse of Miller with the gun aimed on the three of them. And almost immediately began bawling her eyes out in fear as hands grasped onto Olivia's shirt tightly and she buried her head in Olivia's shoulder.

Olivia bit down lightly on her lower lip and sat on the floor next to Dante, holding Anna close to her. She kissed the little girl on the forehead in a vain attempt to calm her. She quietly whispered hushed words to try and calm Anna as well, but it was clear the only thing that would work, was to get her away from Miller.

The front door opened up, causing her and Dante to look over at it, but not Miller.

Elliot was there. But Pryce was holding a gun at his head.

"Glad you could finally join us Detective Stabler, now my game has gotten more interesting," Miller stated with a sadistic gleam in his eyes.

He was enjoying this. Quite possibly more then he did the first time three years ago.

Elliot looked over at Olivia, and the little girl that was clinging to her. This was bad. He looked at Dante and locked eyes with him, they both seemed to have the same general idea. Olivia and this little girl needed to survive this no matter what.

"Explain the problem to him, Olivia."

Olivia looked at Miller. She knew what he wanted her to say, but she really didn't want to say it. Not that she had much of a choice. He had that gun aimed at herself and Anna. Herself she might be willing to risk, but never Anna.

"We're not.." Olivia started. "We're not.. perfect.. anymore.."

Miller smirked. "That's right," he replied. "She ruined our perfect family Detective," he said to Elliot. "Just like she ruined yours."

Olivia was shocked by Miller's words. What could he have possibly meant by that? That she caused Elliot's family to fall apart? She hoped that wasn't what Miller was insinuating.

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Elliot questioned.

None of this made sense to him. Miller was insane. How could Olivia have ruined his family?

Miller smiled. "You see.. Elliot," he said. "You and I are alike in so many ways.."

Elliot stared at Miller like he was insane. Which he was. But he wasn't going to say the wrong thing to this guy, not with where the gun was currently pointing.

"How are we alike?" he asked, almost regretting it when he saw the glint in Miller's eye.

"When it comes to our family," Miller stated. "You see, three years ago I had a wife who was an adultress," he told them all. "She slept with the other man, while married to me, and had a little girl, who I was led to believe was mine for nine long years."

Olivia froze. Something was off about this story, and she knew she wasn't going to like the ending of it.

Dante was intent on listening as well. Just praying this guy would let his guard down for even a second for one of them to get to him.

"But I figured it out," Miller said. "And I confronted her, at gunpoint," he told them. "That's when her boyfriend showed up, and after that it was all so easy," he explained. "I went to shoot my wife, but Laura's boyfriend got in the way, took the bullet."

Olivia's eyes widened in shock. She quickly covered Anna's ears, praying the little girl would be able to shut out what she was going to hear next.

Elliot's eyes had been on Miller, but now they were looking at Olivia with the little girl. He could see how much Olivia was trying to do to keep the little girl's innocence, but he wasn't sure how long it was going to last with a madman like Miller waving a gun.

"So Laura begged me," he said to them. "Her boyfriend was still alive, she begged me to kill her, and let their daughter and him go," he said next. "Such a sad ending.. but I did kill her, and her boyfriend, and their daughter too."

Olivia looked disgusted. How could he have shot a nine-year-old girl? It was sick beyond anything, especially when it was a child he'd thought was his own child for that nine years of her life.

Elliot and Dante were standing shocked by what they'd been told.

"So now Elliot, I'm giving you that choice," he told Elliot. "I know how much you love Olivia, and she loves you, but I can also see how she lusts for that man beside her," he explained to Elliot. "She's ruining both yours and his lives, tearing them apart with her adultery," he said. "And here's the choice to make.. will you let all of them die Elliot, all three of them?"

Elliot's eyes widened. "Of course not," he said quickly.

Miller grinned. "Well good, then you'll take your gun, and you'll shoot Olivia, you'll take her out of yours and his lives and make it all better, without Olivia, you can both move on, and Anna and him will live. Choose not too, and they'll all die."

&&&&&&&&&&&&

**Well. How was that for speed updating? I hope it was a good chapter and that it didn't disappoint! I tried my hardest here, and I think I even enjoyed writing it! Since I actually had the time to that is :)**

**-Kay**


	14. We're Partners

**Author's Note**: Well.. this wasn't exactly a speedy update was it? Sorry. Life took over. And since I took a night off work, here's what came of it. Boredom, and a new chapter. Of course, it took a few more days after that, but it's done now, right:P

**Special Note**: Again. This chapter is taking off DIRECTLY from the previous. So get ready.

**Chapter 14**: We're Partners

Elliot couldn't even come up with a response to what Miller had just said to him. Did this nut case honestly believe that he had it in him to murder Olivia? Anyone would know that he could never harm a hair on Olivia's head, but maybe that was why Miller suggested what he did. Simply because he knew that Elliot couldn't do it.

Olivia was silent as she stared down at Anna. There were some things children should never hear, this was most definitely one of those things. She looked back up at Elliot, her eyes telling him that he had to do it, but her heart knowing that he wouldn't be able to do so.

Miller was tapping his foot.

"Well Elliot?" he questioned. "Are you going to take the two for one, or let them all go down?"

Elliot had his eyes locked with Olivia's. He could see it in them, the approval she was giving him. Of course they both knew he couldn't, but that didn't stop the look she gave him. He turned back to look at Olivia.

"I can't."

Miller sighed and shook his head then made a signal to Pryce.

Pryce took the signal. Almost instantly taking his handcuffs, placing one on Elliot's hand and connecting the other to the doorknob on the front door.

"What the hell are you doing?" Elliot questioned.

Miller smiled. "Letting someone else decide fate and making sure you don't interrupt it."

His eyes turned to Olivia, and his grin only appeared to grow larger.

"So Olivia, tell me this," he started. "Will you die for those two?" he asked, motion towards Anna and Dante with his free hand.

Olivia bit down lightly on her lower lip as she looked at Dante who was desperately shaking his head no, and then down at the innocent Anna, who was still bawling in her arms.

"Yes.." she whispered in response.

Miller smirked. "Too bad, I think Anna's seen enough in her life time," he said and aimed the gun at the little girl in Olivia's arms.

Olivia's eyes widened as she realized quickly that Miller was going to shoot Anna, and not her. She turned, being sure to cover the little girl with her own body as she saw Miller pulling the trigger. Everything that came after that, was all in spurts.

Elliot was yelling. She couldn't really understand what it was that he was yelling about. The pain she felt now was much worse then anything else she'd gotten on the job.

Her eyes closed. Opening back up in what she thought, was only a few moments later. But by then flashing red lights were blurring her sight.

"Get them both on stretchers!!"

Olivia was confused. Both? Who else had gotten hurt? She'd only heard one shot, and she was fairly sure that's what she'd been hit with. Truth be told. The only thing she remembered was hearing the shot, she couldn't remember at all what had been going on.

Suddenly she felt more pain though. Someone was attempting to move her, which they succeeded as now she felt herself moving. The faces were blurs. She couldn't make anyone out at all. But someone started talking to her.

"It's okay Olivia, I swear, you'll be okay," the voice said. "You can't give up now Liv, please just hold on."

God knows she was trying to match the voice to someone. Anyone.. But for some reason it wouldn't come to her. She simply couldn't remember. The thoughts escaped her, and soon she once again found herself fading out into darkness.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot was currently sitting in the waiting room. The little girl named Anna was sitting in the chair directly beside him. They had found Anna's parent's, and currently they were both in the morgue. They could only guess their deaths had to do with Miller, him, and the bullet wounds in the mother and father's head. This man had some real talent for screwing up people's families and lives.

Currently Miller had two more deaths on his hands other then the five women he'd killed. He had Anna's parents added to the list. But now he had one more person that he was fairly close to adding. Olivia. He'd almost wound up adding Dante as well, but now Dante was resting in recovery, his sister sitting by his side.

The scene was almost impossible for him to forget, but he wished more then anything that he could. The moment that Miller had aimed the gun at Anna, Olivia had turned and covered the little girl with her body. But when Miller fired, Dante had gotten in front of Olivia, doing what Elliot couldn't do and attempting to shield her. Unfortunately the bullet had gone through Dante. And that's why Olivia was in more danger then Dante at the moment. The bullet had gotten lodged in her shoulder.

He sighed and glanced over at Anna. She'd been silent since everything had taken place. Her face was still stained with the tears she'd been crying when Olivia was holding her, and her shirt, which she refused to change, had some traces of Olivia's blood still on it.

"Want me to get you something to eat?" he asked Anna.

Anna looked at Elliot. She shook her head and looked back down at the ground. She wanted to see Olivia again. She was scared that she'd lose Olivia just like she lost her mom and dad.

Elliot was going to say something else when he looked up and saw Kathy coming towards him. He wasn't entirely too sure how to react to seeing her. All in all, he wasn't sure why she'd been coming to see him at his apartment with Maureen the other day anyways, nonetheless why she had called Olivia.

Kathy opened her mouth to speak, but when her eyes caught sight of the little girl and her clothes, she was silenced in the very same moment. There was blood on the little girls clothes, why hadn't anyone bothered to get her to change clothes? She drew a questioning look in Elliot's direction, but still said nothing, nodding her head away.

Elliot understood and waved Munch over to sit with Anna before he stood up, but when he did, he felt a small hand in his and looked down at Anna.

"Are you going to come back?" was all that she asked.

Elliot saw the look of sadness in the little girl's eyes. It hurt him to see that look on such a young girl's face, but he supposed that after everything that happened, that was the least of what people would see in Anna.

"You bet," he told her with a small smile.

She had returned the smile, and then let go of his hand. And he followed Kathy to the other side of the waiting room.

"What happened to that girl, Elliot?" Kathy asked, her eyes still staring at the sadness in the little girl's eyes.

Elliot cleared his throat, not entirely sure he should really tell her. Sometimes there were things that were just meant to be kept clear of people who didn't need to know.

Kathy only seemed to wait patiently for his answer though. It was obvious she wasn't going to_ not _let him not tell her.

Elliot sighed. "Her parents are dead Kathy," he explained. "And whether she saw it happen or not, we can't be sure. But she also just watched Olivia and another man get shot trying to protect her."

"You mean.." Kathy started. "You mean she's got Olivia's blood on her?" she asked.

Elliot just nodded. "She won't change."

"How is Olivia?" she asked, almost dreading the answer.

"Touch and go.." he replied quietly.

Kathy was quiet again. She knew how close Elliot and Olivia were, even if the two did keep their relationship on a professional level, there was no doubt in her mind that they did indeed care about each other more then just partners. She would never blame Olivia for the divorce between herself and Elliot, but she did admit, Olivia as Elliot's partner certainly helped them realize that things weren't going to work.

Elliot was about to speak again when a doctor entered the room. Olivia's doctor. Without another word to Kathy, he wandered towards the doctor who was watching him.

"Miss Benson is going to be okay," the doctor stated with a small but weary smile. "She's not awake, but if you'd like to bring in her daughter, it would be okay with me."

Elliot was thinking about correcting the doctor's mistake, but decided against it. It was easier to get in and out of Olivia's room if they thought of Anna as Olivia's daughter. So instead he smiled at the doctor's nice gesture.

"I appreciate it, Doctor."

The doctor smiled and nodded.

"You'll find her in room 102, the recovery wing. It's right next door to your other friend, Antonio Valentino."

Elliot wasn't sure who that was. But he shrugged and nodded nonetheless. Could the guy mean Dante? He supposed it was possible. He'd only ever heard the man referred to as Dante though. He made his way back over to Anna and Munch, then gave the little girl a small smile and knelt down in front of her.

"We're allowed to go see Olivia now," he told her. "Do you want me to bring you in there?"

A grin formed on Anna's lips. She was almost ecstatic that Olivia was going to be okay.

"I wanna go!" she said quickly and stood up.

When Elliot stood up, she immediately placed her hand in his, as though she were afraid to get lost.

Elliot smiled and led the little girl down the hallway towards the room that Olivia was supposed to be in. They passed the room Dante was in, it looked like he was awake and talking to his sister. Sure enough, they found Olivia in the very next room. He smiled at the nurse inside as he brought Anna inside.

"Oh!" the nurse said, very surprised to see them. "I wasn't aware Miss Benson had any family," she stated. "Are you her husband?" she asked, clearly hoping he wasn't already attached.

Elliot withheld a chuckle at the nurse. "I am," he told her.

It was easier to lie to the woman then deal with the constant pestering. He was amused by the look on her face when he said that he was. She'd definitely been hoping for the opposite answer. His eyes caught a look at Olivia. She was pale, almost ghostly. That scared him more then anything. He hated to see her like that, it was something he'd never quite before on Olivia's features.

The nurse watched the look on Elliot's face turn from amused to withdrawn. She'd seen it before. It was always scary to see a loved one look like they'd just faced death. And in Olivia's case, it might have been a close call. The woman looked like she'd been through the ringer. Bruises on her face, her wrists. It was scary, not to mention the bullet hole.

"She'll be okay, sir," the nurse said in a sympathetic voice. "She looks like she's very strong, I hope you both and your daughter get through this," she stated, noting to Elliot that Anna was now at Olivia's side.

Elliot nodded a bit at the nurse as a way of thanking her before going up behind Anna. He watched as the little girl stared intently at Olivia. This wasn't going to help her.. it was better if she wasn't brought in until Olivia was awake. She looked tired anyways. He looked at Munch outside and waved him in.

"We should bring her back when Olivia wakes up.." he told Munch.

Munch eyed Elliot. "I could say the same thing about you, but you're more stubborn then the nine-year-old, so I'll take her."

Elliot smirked but shook his head.

"Anna.." he said to the little girl, kneeling by her. "Munch is going to take you somewhere to get some sleep until Olivia wakes up, okay?" he asked her.

Anna nodded a bit. She looked at Munch.

Munch chuckled. "What's wrong, am I old?" he asked her with a grin.

Anna giggled but shook her head no.

"Why do they call you Munch?" she asked him.

Elliot let out a laugh as he watched Munch leave with Anna. He loved every child's reaction to Munch being called.. well.. Munch. Now he sat down beside Olivia in the chair. More to his surprise, the moment that he did, he saw Olivia starting to move.

"Olivia?" he questioned as her eyes opened.

Olivia heard the voice again. It was the same one that she'd heard before she had blacked out. The same one that she couldn't put a face to. She turned her head in the direction of it and saw the face that went along with the voice. She should have recognized the man, she thought. She should know who he was, but she couldn't remember him.

Elliot could see the confusion in her eyes. He thought maybe that she was just confused about where she was, but by her face he could tell otherwise. It was the look someone gave you when they were trying to remember your name, but didn't want to be rude and say they couldn't.

"Elliot," he stated after a moment more of watching her.

Olivia's eyes softened. "Huh?" she questioned.

"My name," he explained. "It's Elliot."

Olivia hadn't realized she'd been so obvious. She could see the hurt in Elliot's face at her not remembering him. But he seemed to be know her well enough that he could see right through her.

"I'm sorry.."

Elliot smiled. "Don't be. Do you remember anything?" he asked her.

The frown grew on Olivia's face almost immediately. What she did remember, she wished she didn't.

Elliot could see it. She remembered some of what happened to her. And it didn't seem like it was anything good.

"Tell me.." he said quietly to her. "It'll be fine, just tell me what you do know."

Olivia nodded. "Miller.." she said in return, simply because it was a name she couldn't forget. "He was the guy.. I only remember a little bit, but it's enough to know it was wrong.." she explained.

Elliot took a deep breath. "What did he do?"

"Pinned me against a wall once.." she told him. "Asked me if that was how I liked it.." she said next. "Another time he.." she froze for a moment and shifted. "He was pulling at my clothes, so I fought back.. and he threw me into the wall face first," she told him.

Her hand went to her face almost immediately. She felt the bruise, it was still there. She tore her eyes away from Elliot's.

"Did he.."

Olivia flinched. "No," she said, cutting him off.

She knew what he was going to ask. She didn't know how, but she just knew.

"You're acting like a cop.." she said to him quietly.

Elliot smiled a little at her. "That's because I'm your partner," he explained.

"You mean we're together?" she asked, confused.

Elliot looked surprised. He hadn't meant it like that, but that was the way it had sounded to her. He shook his head quickly for her sake.

"No, no Olivia," he told her. "I mean I am a cop, and so are you," he explained to her. "We're partners."

&&&&&&&&&&&&

**I know. You all hated the cliffhanger from the previous chapter. And I'm so sorry it took a little while for me to update again, I really didn't mean for that to happen. But I just had no time to write. Not even a word. It took calling out sick for me to have any free time for once.**

**-Kay**


	15. A Memory Away

**Author's Note**: Yeah.. there's a time lapse in this one. But make no mistake. Olivia still has no _real_ memory of anything. Yet.

**Special Note**: Dedicated to Color Esperanza.

**Chapter 15**: A Memory Away

A month, Olivia noted in her mind. That's how long it had been since she'd woken up in the hospital with no memory except for that of what some psychopath had done to her. It was scary to know that she normally dealt with people who have had this happen to them on a daily basis. A sigh escaped her lips as she ran her fingers through her hair.

To be honest with herself. She was having a hard time dealing with it all. She got the feeling she'd been the type of person that held everything inside before all of this. And truth be told, that hadn't changed even with her loss of memory. She was quiet around mostly everyone at this point. The only person she found herself able to trust was Elliot Stabler. Simply because his voice was stuck her in head. The one where he was telling her not to give up, where he told her that she would be okay.

She would never forget that voice. He was distraught and panicked. Now that she thought about it, considering they were partners in the NYPD, it made sense. Still. He seemed to care about her more then just a partner would, but she got the feeling she'd never really given thought to it before now. Nor had she given a lot of her feelings a thought before this moment. She closed her eyes. It was six o'clock. Elliot would be by in two hours to see how she was doing. Maybe she'd rest her eyes for a bit.

Suddenly things were different when she opened her eyes though. Everything was dark. But she could hear the voices.

"Liv! Shoot the bastard!"

That was the voice. Elliot's voice. She always recognized it.

"Shut the hell up! Just shut up!"

That was one she didn't recognize.

"Shoot him! Do it Olivia!"

Elliot again.

"Shut up Elliot!"

It was her own voice this time. She could always feel the fear radiating off of her own words as she told her partner to shut up. This whole thing didn't make sense.

"I could tell you where she is, she could still be alive, you could save her."

The other voice again. Who the hell was it? She couldn't figure it out.

"He's lying, Olivia. He's lying to you. Shoot the bastard!"

She knew the man was lying. Anyone with a brain knew the man was lying.

"I know."

She'd spoken again. With words that made her think she'd pull the trigger of whatever gun she was holding. She still could only see darkness.

"I'm not lying, she is alive."

"Where?"

"Damn it Olivia, don't listen to him!"

And the other man told her a place. But he was lying. It was obvious he was lying. He was made to lie. What the hell was really going on? It simply didn't make sense to her.

"He's lying.." she'd whispered.

"I know," Elliot had replied.

"He's never going to tell us."

"You're right, he's not."

"I'm sorry.." she'd said next.

"I know, it's okay," came Elliot's voice again.

Then a gunshot. Suddenly she shot up. Everything coming clear into view. And that was when she saw him. The cold eyes, directly in front of her. The man whom, a month ago, put her into the hospital with a gunshot wound and no memory of who she'd previously been.

A gasp escaped her lips as she kicked at him, managing to knock him away from her. It was eight o'clock. Where the hell was Elliot? The dream had her on edge, and waking up to find Miller, had her even more on edge then she'd been to begin with. She got to her feet and started running towards the door when Miller grabbed her foot and pulled her to the floor. Every instinct told her this was going to turn out badly, and she knew to trust her instincts.

She kicked her free leg at Miller in an attempt to free herself, but it only seemed to keep him coming. Now he was pulling her towards him, and she had to admit, she was afraid. By the time she opened her mouth to yell out, he was practically on top of her. And before she could yell a word, his hand was over her mouth. She was positive that the fear in her eyes was in no way hidden.

"Now, now Olivia," Miller said in a sing-song voice. "I've missed you, and I have to admit, staying away from you for so long sure was hard work," he explained.

Miller smiled down at her. He kept one hand over her mouth as he sat on her chest to keep her down. She was still struggling underneath him, much to his liking. With his free hand he brushed a stray hair out of her face.

Olivia despised the way Miller was looking at her. It was an almost loving look, one that, if she hadn't known any better, she might have believed to be real. Suddenly she froze underneath of Miller's weight. Though, it wasn't really him so much as it was the knife he now had against her throat. Truth be told.. she hadn't even seen the knife until she'd felt it, and by then, it was too late.

"I realized something, Olivia," Miller said to her. "Valentino has a thing for you," he stated. "And because of that, I'm going to enjoy watching the life fade from your beautiful brown eyes, just like I'd done his wife, and his kids."

Olivia's eyes widened at what Miller had just said to her. How the hell could Miller possibly know Dante? And how could Miller have killed the man's family? The connection made no sense to her. Then again, maybe it did make sense to her. Due to the memory loss, she couldn't be sure if it should or shouldn't make sense to her.

Seeing the confusion set in Olivia's face, Miller could only smile. She honestly had lost her memory. He'd heard the conversations between her and her partner about the memory loss, but he hadn't believed it. He was sure that Antonio Valentino would have shared their connection with the woman.

"I see," Miller stated. "Your loss of memory is impeding your judgment of that statement," he said to her. "You look a little bit like Angela," he said with a smile. "Angela Valentino, she was Antonio's wife," he explained.

Olivia frowned. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you don't lie to the people you love, Olivia," Miller stated with a grin. "And I do love you, don't you remember?"

Olivia's brows creased as she put thought into his words. Loved? There was no way he loved her.. she remembered so well the things he'd done.

"That's not true.. I remember what you did to me," she stated quietly in response.

Miller frowned. "Olivia, try and remember, those were accidents."

He was doing his best to try and persuade her of a non-existent truth. In a way, he could see her thinking about what he was telling her. He hadn't thought she'd honestly think about his words, but that was what she was doing at that very moment.

"You're a lying, cold-hearted son of a bitch," Olivia seethed out through gritted teeth. "You call throwing someone face first into a wall, an accident?"

Miller smirked. "No, dear," he told her. "I call that love," he stated. "But I'll show you what kind of love I mean," he said. "I'll love you just like I loved Angela," he told her, moving the knife down to her chest where he'd unbuttoned her shirt. "One.. slow.. slice of the skin at a time.."

Fear sparked in Olivia's eyes, but before she could do anything, pain followed. Miller was doing as he said, slicing into her stomach slowly, painfully slow. She'd tried not to give him the pleasure of hearing her scream. She'd tried so hard. But she lost that fight, and after not too many cuts, a scream pierced through her lips.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot was at the end of the hall, walking towards Olivia's apartment. He'd left later then usual to get to her apartment, trying to tie up loose ends with some paperwork. He had his hand in his pocket to get the key when he heard Olivia's scream. Not a scream from fear, from being scared by something. Her scream was one of pain, one that made his blood run cold. Instead of the key, he took his gun. And kicked open the door to her apartment.

He didn't waste any time. The moment he saw Miller on top of Olivia, he fired. The shot was perfect. There was no doubt that he'd killed Miller, but that didn't bother him. It was the blood. Not Miller's blood, but Olivia's. It was all over Miller's hands, all over Olivia.

"Jesus.." he muttered as he ran to Olivia's side. "It's okay Liv," he said quietly.

He was quick to pull out his radio. He called for an ambulance for Olivia. He was shaken from any thoughts he'd had going through his head when he felt a hand on his cheek. He glanced down and saw it was Olivia. She was still awake, how, was beyond his comprehension. The pain she was feeling must have been immense. He took her hand off of his face and held it instead.

"You're gonna be fine, Liv," Elliot told her. "You're gonna be just fine.." he said, placing his other hand against her cheek just as she'd done to him.

"Hurts.." was the word Olivia managed to mumble out in response.

Elliot frowned. He didn't want to leave her there, but he needed to get something to put over her cuts for the moment. He gave her cheek one soft caress.

"I'll be back, I'm going to get something for the bleeding Liv," he told her.

Olivia merely nodded her acknowledgment to what he'd said to her.

Elliot stood, his glance shifting to Miller's dead body for a moment before he took off to the bathroom. He pulled out one of the older towels, and then brought it back to the living room where he'd found her.

Olivia whimpered slightly when Elliot first put the towel over her stomach. She wasn't sure that she'd ever whimpered before, but she had to admit that the pain was excruciating. She'd just have to justify it like that.

"I'm so sorry.." Elliot said quietly, more so to himself then to Olivia. "I'm so sorry I couldn't stop him earlier, I should have been able to, Christ, Liv, I'm sorry."

The pain Olivia saw in Elliot's eyes, emotionally, she thought, may have actually been worse then the pain she was feeling physically. She hurt, but she smiled faintly nonetheless as she reached her hand out and placed it on Elliot's cheek for a second time.

"I'm not.." she whispered in return.

She could see the look of confusion, and quite possibly, the look of shock that traced the outlines of Elliot's face. It only served to make her smile a little bigger. Her look softened slightly, even with the pain coursing through her stomach.

"I realized something.." she spoke softly.

Elliot questioned it. "Realized what?" he asked her.

Olivia took a deep breath before she continued forward with what she was about to say.

"That I'm in love with you.."

&&&&&&&&&&&&

**Hmm.. so how's that going to fly over? Well. Guess we'll have to find out in the next chapter, won't we? There's still a lot more questions to be answered in this story.**

**-Kay**


	16. Pasts Revealed

**Author's Note**: It's been a while, I know. Sorry guys.

**Special Note**: Dedicated to EVERYONE.

**Chapter 16**: Pasts Revealed

Two weeks later.

Aside from the voices she had heard in her dream two weeks ago, just before Miller had attacked her, she still couldn't remember. She could barely place people that said hi to her at times, and it was bothersome. To a point, she wondered if maybe she just didn't want to remember. Maybe there was something she didn't like about her past.. something she didn't want to accept.

In her mind, she wanted to remember it all. She wanted the good and the bad. But in her heart, she wanted nothing to return. In her heart she could tell there was just so much she wasn't sure she could bear to remember.

She sighed as got through the door to her apartment after spending the last two weeks in the hospital. She didn't talk to Elliot about what she had said to him that day, and he didn't ask. So she supposed he hadn't cared. She froze when she went to close the door. Dante was standing there.

"You told me you wanted to talk.."

Olivia nodded slightly and moved to let Dante move passed her. She'd almost forgotten. But she still had her questions for him. But truthfully, she'd left that message for him a week ago. By all means, she was almost positive he'd either not gotten it, or ignored it.

"I had a few questions.." she stated quietly as she dropped her bag down on the floor.

Dante raised an eyebrow up in question but said nothing as he took as seat on her couch.

Olivia followed after him and sat down beside him.

"I want you to tell me about your past.." she told him.

Dante glanced at her, he was trying to hide the surprise by what she was saying to him. He wondered what exactly ran through her mind that made her want to know that.

"How do you know Miller?" Olivia finally asked after a few moments.

Dante froze and stared at Olivia in shock. How would she possibly know about that? It honestly made no sense to him.

"What are you talking about?" her asked her.

Olivia frowned and sat back on the couch. He was going to sit there and lie to her face, even after they had been in this same place before, only a more vulnerable position on her part. The thought quickly froze in her mind and her eyes widened as she realized she remembered something else.

Dante stared at her. "Are you okay?"

"You can lie to me however much you'd like to, but Miller knows you," she explained to Dante. "And I know you know him as well."

Dante was silent as he watched Olivia stand up and start heading down the hallway. He sighed and stood up, catching up to her quickly and grabbing a hold of her hand.

"Wait Olivia," he said quietly. "I really don't think it's a story you want to hear.."

Olivia glanced at the look on his face and the annoyance quickly passed, her face softening slightly.

"I need to know about you.." Olivia stated. "I hardly know anything now, and I'm almost positive that I probably knew just as little before the memory loss."

Dante sighed and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"You're right," he told her. "No one really knows anything at all about me," he stated with a shrug of his shoulders. "I don't have a very good past, and it's not really something you'd bring up for dinner conversation."

Olivia nodded. "You know, I won't judge you by your past choices and mistakes Dante, it seems to have made you a better person under the circumstances."

Dante shrugged. "I don't know about that.." he answered her. "And I don't know you very well either," he stated bluntly.

"Well enough to shove your tongue down my throat on more then one occasion?" she asked him.

"Not really," he admitted.

Olivia was genuinely confused now.

"Then why did you?" she questioned.

Dante sighed again and leaned against the wall, folding his arms across his chest as he thought about his answer.

"Because you remind me of someone.." Dante replied quietly.

Olivia thought about his answer, and after a moment of thought, she understood. It was simply because of Miller's words to her two weeks ago, just before Elliot had come in and shot him.

"You wife.." she stated solemnly.

Shock registered over Dante's face as he once again froze, and stared at her.

"How did you know that I had a wife?" he questioned, clearly confused.

Olivia looked away, and down at the floor.

Dante was, at first, confused by her reaction to his question. But when he thought about it, he realized quickly and felt immediately terrible.

"Oh God.." he stated. "Olivia, I'm so sorry.." he apologized quickly.

He'd never imagined that Miller may have said something to her about his deceased wife. He knew he had to tell her now, and he sighed because of it.

"Her name was Angela.." Dante stated after a moment.

Olivia glanced up at him. She was surprised that he had actually decided to start explaining it to her, but she certainly wasn't going to complain, nor was she going to interrupt him.

"Up until four years ago.. I worked with the Italian Mob.." he stated cautiously.

The look on Olivia's face never changed, and he took at as his cue to move on.

"I was a hitman.."

Something definitely flashed in Olivia's eyes, but she still said nothing, and he was thankful for that.

"I decided I wanted out.. so.. I left," he explained to her. "They didn't take it so well.."

Olivia simply nodded slightly.

"They sent Miller to bring me back," Dante stated. "I knew Miller, Miller didn't bring people back, he took lives as well."

Olivia frowned this time.

"Only.. he didn't come to kill me.. just kill my life," he explained to her solemnly. "He killed my wife, Angela, my two daughters, Maria and Celia, and my son.. Dante."

Olivia opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She could only stare at him in remorse, sorrow, and pity. Somehow, 'I'm sorry,' didn't quite cut it in this situation. It was so clear.. Dante had killed people. And when he stopped, his bosses made sure that he'd regret it.

She took a deep breath. "I'm not sure what to say.."

"I can tell," Dante replied. "You're torn between whether to hate me for being a killer, or to feel sorry for me because of my family. But I know.." he stated. "I hate myself for it, and I hate myself for what they did to my family."

Olivia stared at him. "But.. why did Miller come for me? Was he sent to kill me?"

Dante shook his head no in response.

"Miller.. went out of control," Dante stated carefully. "Three years ago when he realized his wife had that affair, and he killed her, his daughter, and her boyfriend. He started his own little.." he began, trying to think of the word. "I guess you could call it a crusade.. yeah.. a crusade to create the perfect family for himself."

Olivia shook her head this time.

"It doesn't make sense though.."

Dante shrugged. "I didn't understand why he picked you either.. there must have been something that he saw in you, that he couldn't see in others. Maybe it's the same thing that I see.."

Olivia looked at him with a look of confusion.

"What do you mean?" she asked him. "What do you see in me?"

Dante smiled a little this time.

"I see a woman who no one would ever want to change," he explained. "I see you Olivia.. I see that you're a person who actually cares about other people in the world, not because it's your job, but because you want to do so."

"But.." Olivia started. "I can't remember anything about myself.."

Dante sighed. "Maybe you're not letting yourself remember," he suggested.

"Maybe I don't want to.."

Dante glanced at her strangely. Was that really the way that she felt? He'd never met someone who didn't want to get their memory back.

"Why wouldn't you want to do that?" he questioned her.

Olivia frowned, closing her eyes.

"I'm afraid.." she stated quietly.

Dante's eyes softened.

"Afraid of what?" he asked her.

"Afraid of what I'll find out about myself if I do remember.." she admitted to him. "I'm afraid I might not like what I remember.."

Dante stared at her, a slight frown on his lips before he walked over to her, placing his hand gently on her shoulder.

"Let me put it this way, babe."

Olivia opened her eyes, waiting for him to continue.

Dante smiled a little.

"If you can't remember past mistakes.." he began. "Then you can't stop the ones you'll make in the future.."

Olivia nodded slightly.

"There's one more thing.."

Dante nodded for her to continue on.

"What if.." she started, but stopped for a moment to think about what she was about to ask. "What if.. I don't love him when I remember everything?"

Surprise filled Dante's features. Was that really what Olivia was afraid these past two months? That if she remembered, she might realize she didn't love Elliot? She had to have been tearing herself up over it.

"I know how you felt about him, babe," Dante admitted to her. "You love him in your memories, and you still love him now, even without remembering him," he told her. "I think that's saying something about the both of you.."

Olivia appeared to be taking in all of his words. Was he right? Did she truly love Elliot in both parts of her? She hoped so. But then again.. what if he didn't love her?

"What should I do..?" she asked Dante quietly.

"You should remember.." Dante suggested. "You can't go on forever, never remembering the past Olivia," he told her. "Sure.. there are things that we don't want to remember, but without the bad, we'd never have the good."

Olivia nodded slightly, and watched as Dante shrugged and waved to her, going back down the hall and leaving her apartment. She didn't know what to do.. she wanted to badly to remember. But she was still afraid of the outcome if she did.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia sighed. There was only on place that she could think of to go right now. It was late, but she couldn't sleep. She frowned and stared at his apartment door. Sure.. he'd given her a key, but it just didn't feel right to go in with it.

Instead, Olivia knocked on the door. She waited several moments before she heard his footsteps echoing through the silent apartment. Finally she heard him unclasping the security chain, and then, the door was finally opened.

"Liv?" he questioned. "What are you doing here?" he asked next, more confused and worried then he was angry for being woken up.

Olivia's reply was short, plain, and simple. She said nothing, and merely pressed her lips against his.

Elliot's face was filled with shock before he finally pulled Olivia closer to him and deepened the kiss that she had started. After another moment, he pulled away.

"You came to my apartment at two in the morning just to do that?" Elliot asked her curiously.

Olivia smiled a little.

"Not really.." she admitted.

Elliot gave her a confused look, but he moved out of the doorway to let her in after realizing that she was still standing out in the hallway.

Olivia didn't go in though.

"Liv?" he questioned a second time.

"I should go..." she stated quietly.

Elliot grabbed her hand quickly.

"Olivia.." he said quickly. "Don't run away again, you came here for a reason," he told her. "Please.. just talk to me."

Olivia frowned slightly and looked down at the floor.

He led her inside the living room and turned to ask her again, but she was staring at him strangely.

"Liv?" he questioned yet again.

He looked down at himself and realized why it was that she was staring at him the way she was. He was only wearing his sweat pants. For once he turned slightly red in the cheeks. Sure.. he knew Olivia had seen him shirtless before in the locker room, but this was different. This was in his own home. He would have said something else but Olivia's lips were on his again.

It didn't make sense to him. But then again, he wasn't really going to complain. At least not until he fully realized what they were doing. They were slowly pushing themselves towards his bedroom.

"Liv.." he stated. "We really shouldn't be doing this.." her told her.

Olivia glanced up at him, staring him directly in his blue eyes with her mocha ones.

"I want to.." she admitted.

Elliot was surprised a bit by her words. He'd expected her to pull away again, but she'd done the opposite.

"And I love you," she admitted for a second time.

Elliot's reaction came out almost as though it were natural.

"I love you too.." he told her. "But we--" he stopped, realized what he'd just said, what _they'd_ just said.

"I don't care about the job right now Elliot," Olivia told him. "I care about you.."

Elliot could tell she meant what she was saying. It made him smile.

"You remember?" he asked her.

Olivia nodded.

"Everything.."

&&&&&&&&&&&&

**Hmm. Sow as this chapter any good? More of a serious chapter then most. No 'action' in a sense, but I think it covered a lot of things we've been wondering about. There's going to be more on Dante's past soon. No worries. Olivia isn't going to just let that go.**

**-Kay**


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